The Curse
by spacegypsy1
Summary: Good Mission?  All is well?  Jack is tagging along?  Please!  SG1 and Jack spell trouble.  DanielVala, SamJack pairings.
1. All’s Well Until It Ends Badly

**The Curse**

Spacegypsy1

**Good Mission? All is well? Jack is tagging along? Please! SG-1 and Jack spell trouble. Daniel/Vala, Sam/Jack pairings.**

**Chapter One: All's Well Until It Ends Badly.**

What a beautiful day! What a great mission! What an incredible find! They were packing up and heading home early. They'd be back at base at least an hour before their scheduled 2200 hours check in. Mitchell was grinning, Sam was humming. Teal'c was practically smiling. Vala and Daniel were bickering. And General Jack O'Neill was thinking, _Life is good_.

By 2030 hours they were walking single file, spread out, down the little dirt path to the Stargate. Only a half a click from town. Sam took point, Jack behind her, Teal'c behind him, then Mitchell. Daniel dragged his feet along behind Mitchell and Vala was on their six.

Jack caught up with Sam and leaned over her shoulder to whisper. "You think having her on our six is a good idea?"

"You invited yourself on this mission. Your little vacation as you called it. This is SG-1, she's as capable as you… no, she's as capable as any of the other four of us."

"Was that a slur?"

She could feel his grin without even turning around. "Yes."

"Okay, thought so. I'm gonna go pester Daniel." He left his position and wandered back to walk beside Daniel thinking he sure was having a good time. He missed this.

"Jack. What are you doing?"

"Oh, just checking on you. It's dark and scary out here and I thought you might like some company."

Daniel took his vest light and pointed it into Jack's face. He was rewarded with scrunched eyes and a grimace. "Go away, Jack. I'm not in the mood."

"She really knows how to get to you doesn't she?" He ducked back before Daniel could bring the light closer to his eyes.

"Nice light." Jack told Vala as he stepped into position beside her.

"Thanks. It is rather cute isn't it?"

"Oh yeah, peachy. You know how to operate that thing?" He was looking down at the P-90 in her hands.

"Well it is lit, it is pulsing and it is adorable. What else do I need to know?"

He rolled his eyes. "Hey, if you don't mind, I think I'll take the six."

"Sure. Go ahead."

They were lit up like a Christmas tree, each with some type of light on. P-90's, flashlights, lights on their vests, and Vala had the small lantern she'd bought at the town market giving off a pink strobe like light. She had her eyes on the cute little light and didn't notice the lightning until a bolt struck the DHD dead center just as they approached.

The center crystal exploded, shot sparks into the air and fizzled.

"Son of a bitch!" Mitchell ran to the DHD where Sam stood, stunned.

"I can't believe it. They don't break like that. Teal'c have you ever seen anything like this before?" Sam started unbelievingly at the shattered crystal.

"I have not. Perhaps it was weakened by the crack we discovered on arrival."

"It worked fine. I tried it the minute we noticed the crack." Daniel was inspecting the broken pieces. "I dialed PR2-299 that deserted planet. The gate activated."

"Well, I don't think it's gonna work now." Mitchell said with a disgusted sigh. "Crap." Let's head back to town. No sense standin' around waitin' for another bolt to fry us all."

"We'll get them to send us a Naquada generator when they radio in, and we'll dial out on the lap top tomorrow." Jack was relaxed and standing in the middle of the team.

"I can't believe this." Sam repeated, awed by the incident.

"Let's go." Mitchell headed back, taking point. "Let's buddy up, two by two. Stay close. And step up the pace."

……

They hadn't been in the small hostel more than ten minutes when the storm roared in like a Northwester. Sheets of sideways rain, wind gusts that rattled the old building and killer lightning.

The innkeeper had lit a blazing fire and shuffled off to bed. There were only five chairs around the only table in the main room. Vala paced unable to sit still while the others sat around the table.

Daniel watched her knowing she had an aversion to storms. Why hadn't he thought to ask her about it before now?

Mitchell played with his pocket knife, pitching it into the wood table again and again. "You people are cursed. Never, not once, have I gone through the Stargate, boarded a ship or been beamed across the universe and had a damned thing go right."

"Landry will call in soon. We'll have him send the generator; we'll be out of here in no time." Jack was still having a good time.

Sam thought about saying something to Cam about the knife, but the table was so littered with scratches and scars you couldn't see where his knife went into the wood.

"Yeah, and if some twister comes rollin' down the street, we're all gonna be Dorothyed outta here." The knife hit the table and wobbled before falling over. Mitchell picked it up and flung it down again.

"Oh!" Vala stopped her pacing. "If we had one of those plastic circle thingies we could play that Twister game."

In unison the remaining four team members turned their heads and stared at her. Jack burst out laughing. "I'm loving this!"

……

Vala was still pacing when Landry radioed in. They could barely hear him above the storm and the static. Vala came to stand beside the table and Daniel could see she was trembling. He pulled at her wrist and tugged her on to his knee. "Have a seat." He said nonchalantly. He turned away to the conversation between Jack and Landry.

Vala felt his hand on her back, gently rubbing up and down. Just a friendly gesture to calm her nerves. That's all it was. He could be so sweet sometimes.

"Alright, campers, here's the deal," Jack was looking at Mitchell, "You heard the man, they're not sending anything until this storm blows over. Base will check in at two hour intervals, so let's try to get some sleep. Two hour watch, they're's six of us. So, Mitchell, you make the schedule. I'm just hanging out; I can take whatever you want."

"I say, Daniel and Vala, first watch and the 2430 check in. Then General O'Neill, and Sam at 2440, Teal and me at 0240, Teal'c 0440, 'cause he never sleeps anyway, then me again, but we'll all probably be up by six."

……

Daniel added wood to the fire to chase the damp chill from the air. Vala paced. Neither said much as the storm continued to rage around them. Vala wandered over to stand beside Daniel, who sat at the table writing in his journal by the firelight. He looked up and smiled. She smiled then turned and stood before the fire. Setting the pen down he watched her a moment and started to rise when the radio beeped. "Sierra Gulf One?"

No go. SGC would try again in about two hours. Vala shrugged her shoulders grinning nervously and Daniel took her hand, pulling her into his lap. She laid her head on his shoulder and drifted into restless sleep.

"Wake up sleepyhead, it's almost time to change the guard." Daniel shook her shoulder and she mumbled, placed her hand at the back of his neck and fiddled with his hair. He sat up straight. "Vala. Wake up."

Mumbling, she kissed his neck, lips warm and moist. "I'm awake."

The fire crackled as rain pelted the window. Unwittingly, his hand rubbed her back. His head slanted down, "You're awake?"

"Very." Her fingers kept up their play at his neck. Slowly she tilted her head up. He felt her lips like a brand under his jaw. He closed his eyes and lightly kissed her temple. "Vala. What are you doing?" Whispered words without much meaning. His lips wandered across her ear, to her cheek.

"Hmmm? What are you doing?" She murmured as her mouth burned a trail up to the side of his mouth, kissing lightly, slowly.

"I asked first." Unhurried, he tasted the side of her cheek.

"Just wondering."

"Wondering what?" His breathe caught as she moved her warm lips ever so slightly.

"What it would be like." Sliding her lips to cover his fully she hesitated.

"Like this." Gentle warmth enveloped her lips as he opened to her, tasting leisurely. They explored with long wet testing kisses, both holding back, both still wondering.

Standing in his door frame, leaning, hands deep in his pockets, Jack watched. He turned away as not to intrude, thinking they reminded him of that old Tracy-Hepburn movie Sam made him watch. Yep, he was having a real good time.

Daniel, hands on her shoulders, gently pushed her back. In the firelight there was no mistaking the delight on her lovely face. "We need to wake the others." Hands skimming her arms a moment, he let go taking her with him as he stood.

……

Leaving their replacements, Sam and Jack, at the table they wandered off up the stairs. Vala walked beside Daniel, fidgeting nervously. The wind howled, lightening flashed and things were going bump in the night. The accommodations were sparse in the tiny rooms. Stuffed straw mattresses on handmade frames, but with remarkably clean and comfortable linens, a small roughhewn table and chair and a lantern were all that graced the narrow rooms.

"You okay?" Daniel asked stepping into Vala's room.

"I'd feel more comfortable knowing you were close by, you are taking the room next to me aren't you, Daniel?"

"Sure." Daniel lit the oil lamp, and closed the thread bare curtains. Something thumped against the window and Vala jumped, leaning into Daniel.

Instinctively, his arm went around her waist, then he let go. "If you need me, just let me know." He left her standing there looking vulnerable and wide eyed.

……

"No cards?" Jack sat at the table, twiddling his thumbs and suddenly wishing he'd chosen the cabin for his vacation. But no way was he going to tell that to Carter.

"No Sir." Sam searched around otherwise deserted room for anything remotely resembling entertainment. She hadn't expected to find a book, a chess game or playing cards, but she explored anyway.

"Whatda you guys do for fun?"

"Worry, don't you remember?"

"No. But it's not a good plan. What're you worried about?"

A pop of glowing embers shot from the stone fireplace and Sam brushed them back with a dilapidated broom. She turned, the radiant firelight silhouetting her. "What's to worry about? We no longer have a DHD. There's a killer storm – which by the way does not seem to be dissipating in the least – Cam thinks we're cursed and I'm beginning to think he's right. And…I'm worried about Daniel."

"Daniel?" Jack stood and walked to her. "Why are you worried about Daniel?"

"He's been in a foul mood for over three weeks. I keep making sure he has lots of coffee and I try to communicate with him, but he won't talk."

"Hmmm, well, I wouldn't worry. I think I have an idea of what's got our spacemonkey jumping around in his cage." Jack wrapped an arm around Sam's waist.

She removed his arm. "We're on duty."

"Right. Sorry. Old habits…not really old habits, kind of new…nevermind."

"So, what's your theory professor?" Sam was smiling up at Jack. Her face was aglow from the blaze behind her and he stared for the longest time.

"It was a theory. But I got a glimpse, okay, a bit more than a glimpse of evidence to support my theory. I'm no theoretical astrophysicist, and we all know I have to use spell check to even write it, but…"

She looked at him expectantly and his eyebrows waggled. "But…?" She prompted.

"Our archeologist – on duty at the time, by the way –was exchanging lip locks with our newest alien addition, by this very fire."

"Jack." She said with complete doubt. "They've been at each others throats for three weeks. I find it hard to believe…you're not kidding are you?" She could see it in his expression, in his dark eyes and knowing smile.

"So that's what has been bothering him." Sam laughed. "Oh boy, that's awful! Poor Daniel. He's been in denial so long; I forgot that that was my first impression. The way he acted as if he could barely tolerate her. I thought something like this might be the case, but it's been two years. God! He's such a nitwit. Two years… oh, well, I guess I understand."

"Yeah, try eight."

Sam grinned, "Oh, this is too funny! Oh. No it's not. Kissing on duty… glad Cam didn't see it. I better have a talk with him."

"There are kissing rules for non-military personnel?"

Before she could answer the radio beeped loud and clear. "Sierra Gulf One?"

……

Another no go. Jack woke Mitchell and Teal'c at 0240, and then he walked Sam to her room, kissed her goodnight against her better judgment and wandered back up the hall to his room. He tried to sleep without success.

In his room, Daniel couldn't sleep, his head filled with random thoughts. Why the hell did he kiss her like that? And why did she hold back, because he knew she did. Her latest ploy? But it didn't make sense. Something had changed, he felt it, and it worried him.


	2. Got Grog?

**Chapter Two: Got Grog?**

She'd come to his door, 'just checking' she'd said each time before leaving again. There she stood, silently watching him as he pretended to sleep. When she turned away Daniel called her, "Vala?"

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't. Why don't I just pull my mattress into your room?" He would never go to sleep if he didn't he told himself.

"That would be lovely, Daniel."

By the time he settled the mattress in the narrow space between her bed and the wall the storm had kicked up a notch and howled incessantly.

In black T-shirt and blue BDU pants she crawled into her bed and snuggled under her blanket with her head under the pillow. "Good night, sweet prince." She mumbled with a hint of mischief.

"Good night, 'princess'." He mocked in return, removing his glasses and jacket. It wasn't twenty minutes later something woke him and he sat straight up with his nerves raw and unsure of what had triggered it. Then he heard her, trashing and whimpering. Walking across his mattress he made it to the side of her bed and sat, reaching for her.

She popped up like a zombie from the grave, arms thrashing.

"Vala! Vala, it's me!"

"Oh. Poor Daniel, I woke you up again." She flopped back on the bed with a disgusted sigh. She was trembling and trying desperately to hide it.

"Bad dream?" He asked his hand on hers.

"Yes. They plague me sometimes. Nothing I can't handle. Maybe you should go back to your room where you can get some sleep. I'm fine. Really I am." She closed her eyes afraid he would see her fear and weakness."

"Move over." He shoved her hip.

She scooted sideways and he lay down on top of her covers, beside her. "Go to sleep. Please. And if you have a nightmare, remember I'm right here to chase the monsters away."

Cuddled as close as she could get to him with the blanket bunched around her, she smiled and floated off to sleep almost immediately.

He was exhausted, but eyes wide, confused, he stayed awake long enough to hear the beep of the radio downstairs before he fell into a deep dreamless sleep of fatigue.

……

The crash was loud enough to wake the dead. Mitchell and Teal'c both raced up the stairs as Sam and Jack came down the hall.

Mitchell had his hand on Daniel's door and shoved it open. The other's gathered around him to peer inside. There was a large branch stabbing into the center of Daniel's mattress-less, Daniel-less bed. Cam turned to his audience mystified. From one to the other they all exchanged bewildered looks. Cam shook his head and pushed through the crowd gathered at the door. Stopping at Vala's door, he found it ajar, but hesitated. Jack scoffed, laying a hand flat on the old wood and pushed. The door creaked noisily. Their eyes shifted around to each other with worry, concern and trepidation of what they would find.

Vala was sprawled on her back across the bed, one leg over Daniel who slept teetering on the edge of the Vala's mattress. His empty mattress lay beneath the bed.

"Ya think he put it there to cushion the fall?" Jack was grinning and both Sam and Mitchell had to stifle a laugh. Teal'c smiled with the slightest upturn of the corner of his mouth.

They tiptoed away as Teal'c mentioned, "There is the possibility that DanielJackson had intended to sleep on the floor. However, ValaMalDoran might have tricked him into her bed."

Both Sam and Mitchell burst out laughing as they skittered down the stars. Jack put a hand on Teal'c's shoulder. "Yeah, sureyabetchya, big guy."

……

The innkeeper set the last bowl of mush before Jack. Sam and Vala both sat on the floor in front of the fire, eating away as if it were the tastiest treat. He returned his gaze to the gray mass in his bowl, thinking of the pancake mix and bacon he'd just purchased sitting all alone in his cabin in Minnesota. "So," Jack asked the Innkeeper, "How long do these storms usually last?"

"A day. A week. A month. Who knows? I only serve de breakfast. There be some food fer yer lunch at de tavern and some drink, but no ladies allowed." He left the room without another word.

"A month?" Mitchell and Vala said in unison.

"No ladies allowed?!" Sam asked thinking she surely misunderstood.

Mitchell's head went in his hands. "Landry will call in at four hour intervals." He looked over at Jack. "I say as soon as the wind dies down we make a run for the 'Gate, we'll wait there and get the damned thing and get out."

Sam pulled her hand held sensor out and checked it. "48 degrees Fahrenheit, 8.8888889 degree Celsius, 282.0388889 Kelvin, wind 55 knots, 63.4 miles per hour, barometric…."

"I get it!" Mitchell's head went into his hands again. Jack was grinning like a fool.

……

Jack and Mitchell where playing some kind of throw the knife game. Teal'c stood with his hands behind his back studying the fire as if it held the secret of life. Sam had her lap top humming away eating up her battery but she didn't care and Daniel was writing in his journal. The room was warm from the fire, wind wailed and little pieces of hail ticked against the window.

Vala came up behind Daniel. "I'm hungry."

He didn't even look up. "I'm not your waiter."

She wandered off and watched Jack and Mitchell toss the knife. Jack looked up at her with a grin, turned to look at Daniel bent over and scribbling away, and raised his eyes to Sam.

Feeling that gaze as she always had she lifted her eyes over the laptop. Jack imperceptibly indicated Daniel, where Vala stood again scowling down at him. Sam smashed her lips together to keep from laughing and went back to work.

The hours ticked by as the gale force wind continued. The check in came and went. Four more hours before they'd have another chance.

"Somebody has to go for lunch. Or. We could eat rations." Mitchell stood at the fire warming his chilled hands. The room was damp now and the fire was turning to coals.

"Lunch!" Came the chorus of voices in agreement.

"I'll go!" Vala volunteered.

"There are no ladies allowed, ValaMalDoran, so I will go." Teal'c raised a brow.

"Humph! Well. I'm no lady, so it should be alright." She grinned, tossing her pigtailed head.

"You'll stay right here." Jack told her. "I'll go with T. Even if you guys are on duty, I'm on vacation and where there's a tavern, there's beer."

Equipped in rain gear Teal'c and Jack dashed out across the muddied, freezing ankle deep water logged street and disappeared into the tavern.

……

It seemed like hours before they returned twenty minutes later, laden with food and drink. Hot stew and tepid grog filled their bellies and warmed their souls. Daniel sat crossed leg on the floor beside Teal'c dipping his hearty bread into the stew.

Teal'c followed Daniel's example. "The barman has invited the gentlemen for cards tonight at the tavern, and O'Neill has accepted. There is barter for chips available should you care to join in DanielJackson."

Daniel looked across to the table frowning towards Jack and the first thing he saw was Vala blinking at him in concern. "I think I'll stay with the 'ladies' Teal'c. You go on with Mitchell and Jack and try to keep them out of trouble." He went back to eating, head down.

Teal'c nodded. "That will be a frightening task; however, I believe I can manage it."

Jack laughed, being the only one who got the 'joke'. He sat aside his bowl. "There's enough stew left for dinner. Charades anyone?"

"I'd love too!" Vala jumped up.

"I was only kidding." Jack told her and she looked so sad he felt guilty.

……

At the last four hour check in Landry informed the stranded team that SGC was switching to eight hours. He got groans and moans for an answer.

……

Jack stood at the door, shrouded in rain gear. "Daniel. Keep and eye on her." He pointed to Vala. "I don't want to get put in some stockade because she decides to wander on over. Let's go." He took a quick glance at Sam who ignored him.

Within the first hour, Daniel had relented and left for the tavern. It may have had something to do with the number of times Vala had pestered him. She really wasn't sure. But he was gone, too.

Sam shut the laptop and stretched. "I'm going to bed." Her foot was on the first step when the front door banged open thumping against the wall and the innkeeper's wife, followed by three other women Sam and Vala had never seen, slammed it shut. "There be ale and rum cake and cards to gamble with if ya two would care to join us."

……

Someone was pounding away at the harpsichord like instrument. The tavern smelled of smoke and rum. Daniel was sneezing, eyes running and head throbbing. Mitchell was dancing with some scantily dressed woman. Daniel understood the no women allowed, it was no nice women, he could have invited Vala. He slapped the side of his face and rolled his eyes. That wasn't a very nice thought and he really didn't mean it. Looking into his half empty tankard of grog, Daniel yearned for the comfort of the little inn. Jack leaned against the bar and chatted away with the barkeep. Teal'c was winning them more grog and food with his arm wrestling - it would be a long night. There must be ten or more men lined up for a chance at the champion.

Pushing the tankard away, he wished for a bucket of Benadryl. He was still deep in self pity when the fight broke out, Mitchell being the centerpiece. Just another day in the life of SG-1. When the chairs started flying, Daniel took the opportunity to slip unnoticed into the night.

It was late by the time Daniel sneaked into Vala's room, their room now. He shuddered at the thought. The oil lamp burned low, giving off an eerie light. Spread out across her bed, Vala wore a gray Air Force tank top and a pair of men's boxer briefs, probably the ones Mitchell had accused her of stealing from him over a year ago. Daniel smiled, being slightly tipsy, then frowned. She looked a bit too sexy. Turning the lamp off, he removed his jacket, glasses and belt, emptied his pockets and settled down on the mattress on the floor. His pillow was missing and he dared not pull it out from under her. Let sleeping dogs lie. Propping his head on his arm he slept.

The gray morning light filtered in through the tread bare curtains. Dark hair tickled his nose and even though he wasn't fully awake he knew what, or more correctly who, it was. Consciousness and daylight fully upon him, he opened his eyes. How to proceed? Her butt was flush against his groin. His arm was across her belly. His other arm was numb and tingling where her head lay on it. She was dead weight. First, carefully, slowly, inch by inch he backed his hips away. Next, his arm across her belly began to rise in exceedingly slow motion. Good. So, now how to get the one out from under her head without waking her?

From the corner of his eye he saw the figure at his door. Jack. Daniel put a finger to his lips as he glanced across, pleading for help with his eyes, nodding toward his sleeping and prickling arm. Jack grinned and tiptoed into the room, wavering slightly, obviously having just come from the tavern. He hunkered down, knelt at the end of the mattress and studied the situation. "Nice mess you've gotten yourself into." He whispered his voice gruff from lack of sleep and too much grog.

"Shh!"

"Okay! I'll lift her head." Jack said with barely a breath.

"Be careful. Do. Not. Wake. Her." Daniel's wordless plea was exaggerated with carefully lipped words.

Thumb to forefinger, one eye closed and mouth forming 'Okay' silently, Jack agreed. His hand snaked under Vala's neck. Moving his fingers through her hair at a snails pace he slid his hand between head and arm. Vala mumbled. Daniel's eyes locked with Jack's, both pair wide and frightened. They held their breath. Again, even more slowly, Jack continued. He stopped suddenly and Daniel shot him a questioning glare. 'Knee' Jack mouthed without a sound.

'Oh.' Daniel's silent reply was accompanied by an understanding nod. With teeth clinched, eyebrows slammed together, he shrugged ever so slightly.

Jack began again. Fractionally lifted, Vala's head rested in Jack's fingers and Daniel struggled to pull the pain prickling appendage free. Jaw tight, he managed to get the arm out and placed it against his chest. He lay on his back; eyes squeezed shut and rubbed life's blood back into the limb.

"DANIEL?!" Vala's delighted shout pierced him like a dull spear. There was a surprised grunt, followed by a thud. Daniel opened his eyes and pushing up on his working elbow he took a look.

Vala had her arms wrapped around Jack's neck and her legs folded around his waist as Jack sat back, half on and half off the mattress on the floor.

"Vala." Daniel scoffed in a spoof of jealous indignation.

She pulled back, looked at Jack, his face so close she could scarcely focus, and then turned to Daniel. "Oh! Goody! Two for the price of one!"

Daniel flopped back down. He could not have stopped the laughter at Jack's expression and Vala's comment even if he had wanted to.


	3. Hostel Hostages No More

**Chapter Three: Hostel Hostages No More**

Hangover's flourished, making the morning quiet all around. Daniel was the only one who appeared to be in a good mood. No one could tell with Teal'c. Daniel only kept smiling because he kept thinking about Jack's face when he'd found himself a party to the infamous Vala pose. He couldn't figure out why Vala and Sam were moping around. They didn't partake of the crazy grog and dancing at the tavern. They'd had a quiet night alone.

Vala paced from the window were she was basking in the sunshine, to the table where the rest of the team sat making final plans. She was geared up and ready to go.

Both Jack and Mitchell continuously squeezed their foreheads, rubbed their eyes and moaned as if in contest to see who suffered the most. Daniel poured himself another cup of coffee, but before he could take a sip, Vala took it from his hands. "Hey, you don't like coffee. You love half and half and sugar with a drop of coffee for color."

"I love coffee." She took a sip and walked away with a grimace.

"Does this mean we won't be stuck here another night?" Mitchell turned to Sam for the weather report.

"Yep. The curse is lifted." She shoved the sensor into its holster at her hip.

Mitchell grinned and started checking his pack. "Head 'em up and move 'em out! We can wait at the Gate for Landry's next call."

……

No rain. No wind. Just lovely sunshine and the squishy ground of mud and debris that littered the path, slowing their progress. Vala took point and Jack walked beside her. Daniel, eyes itching and plagued with sneezing fits followed behind Teal'c and Mitchell. Sam took the six.

"Ya, know, Vala," Jack spoke quietly, just to her, "They could put a picture of you and Daniel up on that internet Wiki thing and put the caption 'Definition of Star Crossed Lovers' under it and be done."

"Ugh! We are not lovers."

"I don't get it. Why do you fight it? You two have feelings for each other. Not that I advocate any hanky panky on duty, but ya do have a little 'down' time now and then."

"No we don't have…" She mocked him with air quotation marks..." 'feelings' for each other, not the kind you are insinuating. I just like to pester him. He's so entertaining."

"Yeah, you just want to pester him. I don't believe that for a minute."

"Alright, here's the truth. I'm crazy about Daniel." Vala confessed softly, looking over her shoulder then back to Jack. "But he thinks I'm a fruitcake, whatever that is." She shrugged sadly.

"You act like a fruitcake. It's a whole bunch of nuts and fruits in a weird doughy mishmash of cake. It's not for everyone. It's enjoyed by a select few. Takes a special kinda taste. Like Daniel's."

She stayed quiet for a long time. "It's just not possible. He's formed his opinion. And you know how he is with opinions."

"Yeah, well obviously his opinion has changed. I saw that little scene by the fire the other night."

"What scene?" Her eyes went wide.

"You and the archeologist back there. By the firelight in the inn. Face to face. Lip to lip."

"What?"

"I should warn you, crap like that while on duty can get you tossed off the team. That is if you get caught… well caught by somebody who doesn't get it… not get …some of the … well, anyway if Mitchell happened to have witnessed that… no not Mitchell, he might take you aside and chastise you, Daniel… what the hell, just be careful. You may be all wrapped up in military protocol and Daniel can be a big pain in the ass, but you don't live forever and take it from somebody who knows, don't go squandering all your chances or you might wake up one day without another one." Their eyes met and Vala blinked with a bemused smile and Jack grinned and walked ahead to take point.

The remained of the trek to the Stargate was quiet. Stillness settled around them all, occasionally interrupted by the innocuous slurping and suction of slimy mud or the distant bird call.

At last the Stargate came into view and the troop - mud splattered and ready for home - gathered around the DHD. Sam set up the generator that sat waiting on the stone platform and dialed in. The radio beep startled her before she was half finished entering the IDC. "Sierra Gulf One!"

They all blinked in surprise and Jack barked out, "WHAT!!?"

General Landry, nonplused by Jack's seemingly clairvoyant reaction, responded, "General O'Neill, Colonel Mitchell? We have a situation here. We will be routing you to Alpha Base."

"Situation?" Mitchell groaned.

"What situation?" Jack hit the radio button with force.

"Something Reynolds unit brought back." General Landry ended with an ominous sigh.

"And that something is?" Mitchell countered to the General's voiced declaration.

"Something or things alive and slithering around SGC. Nothing to worry about - that is if we can catch the crafty critters. We are in lockdown and frankly, I don't have the time to explain. Contact at Alpha Base in four hours. Landry out."

"No 'Godspeed'?" Daniel said with gloom and doom.

Jack looked at Mitchell. "Cursed you say?"

"Yup."

……

Hot showers and comfy beds - not quite home, but almost. They all found comfort in the military regime. Nothing, not one thing had gone wrong, and Jack had gotten the call from Landry. They were going home.

"Where's Carter?" Daniel jumped, surprised by Jack's sudden booming voice in the quiet corner Daniel found to work in.

"I think she's working with Dr. Greenburg in his lab. Three hallways down to the left and two doors on the right." Daniel returned to his study of the small pictogram etched crystal they'd found on 'Waterworld' as they had begun to call the last planet they'd visited.

Jack leaned over Daniel's shoulder and squinted at the crystal. "You're rocks glowing."

"It's not a rock, Jack, go away."

"Pack it up, Danny-boy. We're going home. Where's Mitchell?"

"Off with SG-14 and SG-5 doing whatever you guys do when you don't have real people to shoot. He should be back soon."

"Well, Mister 'I'm just full of useful information', where's T?"

"I have no idea. Going home? All the slithering at home worked out? "

"Oh yeah. And where's Vala?"

"I have no idea."

"Yeah, right. You've got Vala antenna. You can't fool me."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"You know what it means."

"If I knew what it meant, Jack, I wouldn't have... what are you grinning at?"

"You."

Daniel scoffed. "Vala's in the hanger with the confiscated ships teaching the flyboys all the shortcuts."

"Jealous?"

"Hell no! Go away. I have stuff to pack up." He was so jealous he could spit!

"Fine. I'll find Teal'c and Carter; you go round up Vala and Mitchell. We're outta here at 0200." Jack laughed all the way out the door.

……

Daniel found her in the hanger, standing on the wing of a beat up ship, telling some story with dramatic gestures. There were eight or nine men and two women standing around enthralled with her story. The women were laughing at her antics. All the guys just stood, mouths agape and eyes glassed over. Yeah, he knew that look. He had it most days around Vala.

"Daniel!" She spotted him and stopped mid-story. She came down with the grace of a monkey and skipped over to him, stopping just short of throwing her arms around him.

"We're heading out at 0200." Daniel's eyes were unable to move from her enchanting face.

"Oh, goody! Sorry guys gotta run. Don't forget to switch those crystals I told you about. That thing has a lot of life left in it. And it's a blast to run through those mountains out there! Bye!" She waved her hand like a window washer on speed.

Vala hooked an arm through Daniels as they walked across the tarmac towards the Alpha Base. "Daniel, why did you kiss me like that the other night?"

He stopped suddenly and looked at her. "I don't know. Sometimes you just look particularly kissable, half the guys in that hanger wanted to kiss you."

"Well, I didn't want to kiss them. If I'm looking kissable, it's only you that I'm looking that way for…really." Vala smiled and Daniel started walking again. He didn't remove her arm and Vala thought that must be a good sign.

"Daniel?"

"Yes?"

"Are we going to do some more kissing?"

He didn't answer as he opened the base door and ushered her in.

……

Mitchell met up with them halfway down the corridor. He was dirty and sweaty and looked happy as a kid at Christmas. "Whoa, these guys know how to pass the time. We just spent two hours runnin' around the hills and now they have a basketball game…and I mean a real team on team game" Mitchell stopped yammering mid sentence when Daniel held up a finger, "…hey, what's up?"

"Landry gave the all clear. We're out of here at 0200. I suppose you could stay if you wanted to."

"Funny, Jackson. I'll be ready long before you pack up all your toys. See you two at the gate!" Mitchell dashed off down the hall.

Daniel realized the entire time they'd talked Vala had her arm wrapped through his and leaned her head against his shoulder. Mitchell didn't even blink an eye. Things were really getting weird. He disengaged her arm and she pouted as expected. With Vala his linguistic skills were useless, "Get ready. Meet us at the Gate." He said and wandered off without another word.

Vala followed close behind Daniel. "I'm ready, I've been ready. My pack is ready. I can help you pack up if you want." From behind him she could see his hands were deep in his pockets and his head was shaking. She knew he was frowning and wishing she would go away, but she kept following him anyway.

Daniel's grin, unseen by her, was a beacon of conflicted happiness. He was crazy. Finally pushed over the edge. As Jack would put it…he was wacko! Never in a million years would he have thought he would fall for Vala Mal Doran. But he had. He could hear her skipping behind him. His mind raced through the scene in the hanger. Switched like a roller coaster to the calm and settled life he'd experienced for a year while married to Sha're and then to that day on the Prometheus when he'd first met Vala. Entering the small area he'd confiscated for an office he realized suddenly and emphatically that he was a different man. He more often had a gun in his hand than a trowel. And he really didn't think a calm and settled life was what he wanted now.

Turning slowly he found her standing there, hands cupped to chest, pigtailed and grinning. The minute he looked at her he knew. His lonely days were over. A wave of emotions rocked him and he let them loose like a herd of wild beasts gnawing at him.

"Daniel, are you alright?" Vala reached and placed a hand on his arm.

He placed a hand over hers, "I'm fine. Let's have dinner tonight when we get back."

"Dinner?"

"Yeah, out somewhere nice."

"I'm not so sure I want to go out somewhere nice with you… remember what happened last time?"

His smile was engaging. "Okay, I'll cook."

"We'll cook together. I have a book of recipes from Lt. Hébert."

"The Cajun?"

She nodded, grinning enchantingly.

"Okay, Cajun it is. Now let's pack up and get out of here."

……

He was in over his head. There were two options. One, get good psychiatric help, or two, join the enemy camp. His stomach hurt from laughing. Food, boxes, bowls and cookware lay in havoc all over his kitchen. Neither of them had a clue as to what they were doing. Not the cooking and not the tiptoeing around trying to find their way into some sort of normal relationship. They were playing cat and mouse; he was the timid mouse and she the feral cat. Then he'd gather his courage and stalk her cat like, but she'd back away, totally out of character.

"Do you think we're cursed?" Vala stirred the pot of jambalaya.

He looked up from reading the directions for finishing the red beans and rice. "Us?"

"Sg-1."

"Oh. No. It's only the nature of the job. Things are bound to happen."

"Are we cursed?"

Again he looked up confused. "Us?"

"Yes, you and me."

Daniel stirred the pot one more time, shut the fire off and resting his butt against the counter, turned, crossed his arms and studied her. "I'm not sure. We may be individually cursed, considering our separate histories, but 'US' cursed. I don't know. Are we?"

"I think we are." She was quiet a long time. "When you are running, I feel confident. I know how much I… I know how I … I feel about you and how I love to pester you and make you crazy. But when you stop and stand your ground, or rare occasions like this, when things are, you know, settled, I get scared. I don't feel like me. I'm a different person. Well, not totally different…" She sighed heavily, stuck the top on the pot and turned the fire off. "I don't want to be someone different. And I feel like I should be."

He reached out a hand toward her and she took it. His thumb rubbed the soft skin across her hand. "Never change who you are. Not for anyone. Especially for me. Who you are is who I…care about. There's no magic formula. I am not the person I was five years ago. Too much has happened. But, really, I'm still me. I never would have had a second thought about you if we'd met even a year before we did. But when you left that ship… I swear you took a piece of me with you. And when you came back… when you came back I resisted taking that piece back. I'll admit, I wanted it gone. I didn't care to deal with that part of myself. I have to tell you something," he pulled her to him, hugged her close, "I made every effort to fill up that void when you entered my life again. I used every conceivable trick so you couldn't be the one to make all my pieces fit. I knew all along that you cared for me. That under all that crazy push and shove, you had real feelings for me. I knew, Vala that you weren't messing with me. So I doubled my efforts and I am sorry for that." He kissed the top of her head. "Really sorry."

Pulling away, she tossed her pigtails and grinned. "We should go to New Orleans."

"What?"

"They have Voodoo people there that can lift the curse. Lt. Evans gave me a travel book. We should go there and get voodoo and get the hoodoo lifted."

Daniel moved away from the counter and Vala took a step back. "Hoodoo? As in rock formations?"

"Bad luck. Hoodoo. I'm tired of being alone Daniel. You did that to me. I've always been alone and thought I loved it. I mean I used to love it. But I hate it when you're gone. I hate it when I'm gone. I just hate it."

"You know how hard it would be to try and have some type of relationship?" He was standing close, looking down into her upturned face. "We play a dangerous game out there. At anytime one or the other of us could be killed. I'm not sure … I'm not sure if I'm ready for that kind of loss. Besides, we work together…"

Vala approached, placing a finger over his lips. "No more excuses." She replaced the finger with her lips, kissing him softly. "Sometimes a curse can be a good thing."

He took her hand and placed it on his heart. "Okay, no more excuses. But no promises either." His mouth met hers, lingering without deepening the kiss.

"Agreed. But can we go to New Orleans just in case?" She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly.


	4. The Pain of the Process

**The Curse – Chapter Four: The Pain of the Process**

"Where's Mitchell?"

"302ing." Daniel closed the book he'd been trying to translate.

"What?"

"302ing. Flying around checking out the upgrades with Sam. What are you doing here? Didn't we exhaust all your 'needs' on that last adventure?"

"Ya know, Danny, you just keep getting more and more cynical as you grow older."

Daniel stood and replaced the ancient book back on the shelf. "I had a good teacher. What the hell do you need Mitchell for?"

"And now you cuss like a 1st class airman. I think our naive archeologist has gotten a bit tainted."

Turning with a wide grin, Daniel slid his hands deep in his pockets, a reflection of Jack's stance. "I repeat. What the hell do you need Mitchell for?"

"Isn't that ending a sentence with a preposition?"

"You're avoiding the question."

"I have a little mission for him and Vala."

"Vala?"

"Yeah, Vala Mal Doran, she works here." Jack picked up a few small rocks from Daniel's desk and started juggling them.

"Funny." One by one Daniel grabbed the artifacts and returned them to his desk.

"Thanks, I try."

"Why?"

"Because it's what I do. Say funny things."

"Why Vala and Mitchell?"

"Oh, that."

"Yes that."

"Well. Remember P3R… ah, 4 and 5 something or the other?"

"I remember P3R-435, horrible planet. Lots of heat and ruins and very unfriendly people. Sam, Teal'c and I barely made it back. I spent a day in the infirmary. Sam spent three. You couldn't possibly be thinking of sending Mitchell and Vala there alone?"

"Hell no! I'm sending them with Reynolds - SG-3 and me. You other three are a little too high profile. SG-3's already smoothed the way. We're in for a diplomatic mission. Nothing to worry about. You know Reynolds - Mr. Suave and Debonair. "

……

She showed up in his office, closed the door and leaned against it. "I leave in two hours. Without you. I'm beginning to understand your whole 'Daniel Jackson method of relationship angst'. Oh god, two days without you! And if something happens I'll know it was all my fault that I left you …" Vala's hands were wobbling around as if she could find the words in the air…." to suffer the consequences alone. You would never recover. That's why you resisted… isn't it? Daniel, if I don't come back, I want you to know I'm sorry I pushed you into this. It's awful. I wish we'd never gone past teammates. I wish we could just go back to the way we were. Worried of course, but this is so bad. So much worse. "

Coming from the desk, he moved towards her. "We'll survive this. You'll survive this. You'll come back." He leaned his forehead against hers knowing full well he had no idea if he'd ever see her again. Anytime they left the confines of SGC out into the galaxy, together or separate they never knew.

"Cameron's right. We're cursed Daniel. All of us. If I make it back we are going to New Orleans. All of us! I don't think I can take anymore of this."

……

Vala blasted away, right beside Jack. Her P-90 was knocking them down like bowling pins. Somewhere in the back of his overwrought mind he thought she sure did know how to use that thing. She was a fast runner too; he'd noticed the instant they'd decided to retreat and she'd sprinted ahead of everyone. But she'd pulled back when Mitchell took point and she ended up on his six. Overprotective little chit that she was.

His knees, thankfully, were up to this today. Although, he never expected they'd be running away. Every thing had gone really well. In fact, Vala had been the one to soothe the savages until Reynolds of the wayward mouth had stepped in.

The two finally made it to the stones surrounding the Gate. That was the nice thing about Stargate's; they usually were surrounded by sacred standing stones or some other type of ritualistic rocks to hide behind. The Ancient's really knew what they were doing.

Something whizzed past his shoulder and Vala stood spraying bullets and hitting one or two of their assailants before once again ducking behind the rocks. "Damn, you're good!" Jack stood and fired away.

Vala grabbed his vest and yanked him down beside her. "Don't get cocky!"

"Mitchell! Get that damned thing spinning!" Jack yelled behind him. All went quiet. Jack turned towards the Gate. "Uh oh."

"Cursed again." Mitchell sighed, hands up and head shaking.

Vala turned, letting loose the P-90, standing and raising her hands in surrender. "Well, isn't this just lovely? Even if I somehow survive this, I'm dead. He'll kill me."

"Not before he kills me first." Jack stood beside her as his arms flew up, "or Carter does." He mumbled.

……

Daniel stood in the control room worried that everyone could hear his beating heart. Forty minutes past their scheduled return. Forty minutes was nothing. He took a deep breath and risked a glance at Sam. He was surprised he didn't hear her heart beating by the look on her face. How'd she get through times like these all these years? Maybe he'd ask her. Maybe he wouldn't.

"We'll give them thirty minutes, Walter, then try to make contact." Landry scanned the rest of SG-1, nodded hiding his own concern, and left them standing there.

"It is not unusual, DanielJackson, for negotiations to go many hours past the allotted time."

Before he could respond to Teal'c, Sam commented nervously, "Yeah, but we always check in unless something…well we haven't heard a sound out of them." Her eyes lifted to Daniel as if she knew and commiserated with him.

Shoulder to shoulder the three walked silently down the corridors to Sam's office. Sanctuary. Sitting before her computer, Sam stared unseeing at the screen. Teal'c took up his sentry pose near the door, while Daniel wandered aimlessly around the lab.

"It's the pain of the process, Daniel." Sam said not bothering to look up.

He halted his pacing. "What does that mean?"

Both Teal'c and Sam turned their gaze to him and said nothing.

Removing his glasses he rubbed his eyes and replaced them. "Okay, maybe there's something going on I should tell you about."

Still the other two remained silent, waiting, knowing. Another time he might have squirmed under their scrutiny, okay, he wanted to squirm but didn't. "Vala and I are – well – we're – exploring the possibility – sort of – kinda seeing – if – maybe… What?"

Teal'c let a small smile spread across his lips. Sam was grinning. "Nothing, go on with your eloquent explanation."

Resting his hip against a counter, Daniel crossed his arms and glared a moment. "I might have feelings for Vala that go a little beyond friendship. She might have some for me too. You might consider us as dating. Kind of. So we are testing the waters so to speak. And right now I feel like I'm drowning. How the hell do you do it Sam?"

Obviously shocked by his question Sam blinked. "What does that mean?"

"You, Jack - ten long years. How do you do it? It is bizarrely different than one of us missing. And we all share a closeness that is far beyond ordinary friendship. But this is worse. So much worse." Vala's words echoed around in his head.

"Daniel, when you were missing…"

"It's not the same and you know it."

As if suddenly released from the prison of 'don't tell – don't ask' Sam buried her face in her hands. "I don't. I don't do it, Daniel. I don't handle it." She looked up sad eyed and Teal'c came to stand beside her, one hand touching her shoulder lightly. Sam patted his hand and left hers atop his, thankful for the comfort. Comfort she could not give Daniel, so distress by her own feelings.

They returned to the control room ten minutes early. Hovering over Walter, each stood with their hands clasped behind their backs. Waiting. Walter tried to ignore them, but kept looking over his shoulders. As nervous as he was with the situation, he could feel their anxiety like a knife between his shoulder blades.

General Landry came to stand beside Walter. "Go ahead. Make the call."

……

"Reynolds, if you say you're sorry one more time, I'm gonna reach through these bars and rip your head off." Mitchell reached his arms through the bars separating their cells and mimicked strangulation.

"Now, now, Colonels. Let's play nice." Jack was on the opposite side of Reynolds cell.

"She's been gone an hour." Colonel Reynolds closed his eyes as he stood forlorn in the center of his clean and well appointed cell. A tray of food and drink sat untouched on the table across from the bunk.

"Yeah, well, maybe she's working her Vala magic on them." Mitchell offered.

"Or her Vala guile." Jack added.

"Or her old Vala con and she's traded us for a ship and some treasure." Reynolds commented.

Jack looked at Mitchell with a worried expression. "I hadn't thought about that."

"Vala would never do that. You guys don't know her like I do. She's SG-1 all the way. Don't even consider it!"

……

In the hall Vala had removed her black T-shirt doing the contortionist method under her jacket, then zipped her jacket to just under the breasts, let loose her pigtails and fluffed her hair.

Hands on hips, eyes low and seductive she approached the planet leader. "Really, I'm not with them. Not a part of their crazy planet. I'm Vala Mal Doran. I'm a well known trader. They captured me and made me go with them on this little adventure." She smiled innocently, slightly raising her shoulders, moving them forward in a take off of a shrug, managing to squeeze her breast together. "You see, I'm very good at negotiations and they … well they aren't. Here's the deal. I need a ship and maybe a few trinkets. I have a stash of weapon grade naquadah that I can go and fetch. I'll trade the naquadah for them. You see, I have plans for them. And if you release them to me, I can guarantee there will be no reprisals. I'll just drop them off on some deserted planet when I'm through torturing them. I also have contacts that can convince the Tau'ri not to bring their very large and heavily armed forces to your little world."

"How do we know you won't just take off and never come back?"

"Please! Ask anyone. I am a virtual saint. Respected for my honesty around the galaxy."

"We'll send Mikiah and Stoker with you." The man indicated the two towering guards.

"Yes. Of course. Backup is always a good idea."

……

"Where the hell is Vala!" Mitchell yelled to the retreating back of the guard.

The guard stopped and turned. "The woman that was with you has left. She was given a ship and a bit of treasure and she has left - traded naquadah - which she and two of our colleagues will pick up and then she will be free to continue on her way." He turned again and walked away.

"Ya think?" Jack scoffed.

"That conniving little weasel! And I was worried about her." Reynolds threw his tray across his cell.

"Way to go, Vala. That's my girl." Mitchell grinned and settled down to eat.

"What?" Reynolds approached the bars between their cells.

"She's goin' for help. She'll figure somethin' out. Chill out, guys. Vala will bring the cavalry with her. Not sure whose cavalry but she'll bring 'em."

Reynolds stared at Mitchell. "You're sure of that?"

"Absolutely. I told ya, she's SG-1! We stick together. She'll be back. Think about it, Reynolds. If it was you or me we'd all be stuck here until either SGC negotiated for our release or they whacked us all. We're just not as wily as she is, she saw her chance and she took it. That's our girl, Vala. That's why WE are number one. An astrophysicist/kick your butt commando, a linguist/archeologist/turned bad boy Rambo, a Jaffa for Christ's sake, and a former Goa'uld/con-artist/thieving space pirate turned newest TEAM-mate and little ole me. Yep. That's why we're the best." Mitchell bit a piece of meat off the bone and swallowed it with wine and huge grin.

Jack laughed. "You left out something."

"Wah?" Mitchell mumbled around another hunk of meat he was trying to chew.

"Former Goa'uld/con-artist/thieving space pirate - linguist/archeologist/turned bad boy Rambo chasing/can't get enough of your love Teammate."

Mitchell spit the meat out with a howl of laughter. "That's what I'm talkin' about! That's Vala."

……

"Please take your seats gentlemen. Buckle up for safety. Our flight will be momentarily delayed while I check all the little buttons and switches." Vala fluffed her hair and winked at one of the guards.

While she pretended to check the equipment behind him, she leaned over, exposing as much cleavage as possible and whispered. "Why don't you get rid of your friend over there. I'll just set it on autopilot." She smiled seductively as the guard swallowed and nodded.

……

Walter finally made contact with the one member of SG-3 who hadn't been captured. The lieutenant related the story, was told to stay low and wait for reinforcements. Landry ordered Walter to contact the council and for Daniel to get some answers.

At least they were alive, Daniel thought while he waited for the call to go through.

……

"Well. That didn't go exactly as planned!" Vala, one bleeding arm dangling, tried to get control of the wavering ship. The idiot had hit the control panel with the blast that took a bite out of her arm. He was dead. The other one was banging on the cargo door. "Damn, that's annoying! If you don't stop it I'm going to open the hatch." She yelled towards the door. Silence followed. "Much better. Now let's see if I can get this ship to actually work. Cameron will be very displeased if I don't hurry back." She chewed at her lip while she manipulated the ship one handed.

"Ah, distress signal here. Hmmm. Ah! Communications. How nice." Vala set the coordinates and made the call, punched in the code and waited. The groan of metal had her whipping her head around. "Stop trying to pry the door open or I'll shoot. I really don't want to blast you out in space. But I will if I have to. Stop that you stupid son of a bitch…."

"Vala?"

"Daniel? Is that you? You're waiting for my call. Aren't you sweet. Listen darling, I have a … hold on a minute" She fired the alien weapon and was rewarded with a little yelp. "I think I'm going to have to …hold on darling. Oh. This is bad. Where did you find that outrageously big gun?!"

"Vala? Vala? V A L A!"


	5. Five for Transport  Make That Six

**Chapter Five – Five for Transport – Make that Six.**

Vala accidentally popped the mute button with her elbow. "I lost him. Now see what you've done? I'll have you know that was my lover and he was ascended once and a few other things I won't mention." Vala held up her good arm, hand flat out and fingers splayed. The small weapon dangled from her little finger. "Please stop pointing that offensively large weapon, I'm injured and no threat. Do you know anything about curses?"

The guard watched her warily, the gun zeroed in on the center of her chest. "Drop the weapon and move away from the console." His eyes darted to his deceased companion and he smirked. "Your seductive ways will not work on me."

"Like men do you? Such a pity." Vala blinked to clear her blurred vision.

"I said drop the…."

One long and powerful leg kicked out, booted heel hitting the side of the guards head with a resounding thunk.

His eyes crossed, a grunt escaped from his slack mouth and he toppled.

"Well. That was no fun. You didn't even put up a fight!" Dizzy from loss of blood and the effort it took to kick the man, Vala plopped down on the seat, unknowingly activating the com link. Someone was screaming her name but she couldn't quite think right now and she wished they'd just shut up.

Taking a few deep breaths to gain her equilibrium she got up, snatched one bulky arm of the unconscious man on the floor and little by little hauled his dead weight into the cargo bay. This time she doubled checked for weapons, went back and slowly managed to pull the real dead weight to the bay. After closing the door she took the ridiculously large gun and shot the outside door controls.

Satisfied and wobbling with weakness Vala stumbled back to the front. Her name seemed to echo around the bridge. With her palm, she slapped the com button. "Darling, I'm afraid I've mucked it all up. All of it, you, me and the mission. Unfortunately there are no Asgard to miraculously come to my rescue. You'll have to storm their little Bastille for Mitchell and friends all on your own. Tell Cameron I'm sorry I failed him. Vala out." Barely able to remain up right she hit the mute button. It kept beeping at her as she slid to the floor in a heap.

……

For the first time in as long as he could remember Daniel felt as if he would throw up right there in the control room. He kept calling her name, hearing the desperation of his own voice.

"Dr. Jackson? Dr. Jackson?" Walter repeated, "The call's trying to come through from P3R-435."

Sam reached across Daniel's shoulder and switched the com. Looking into Daniel's eyes, Sam spoke quietly. "Go ahead, Walter put it through."

With a deep breath, Daniel cleared his personal feelings and settled back to negotiate for his friends. With a quick look at Sam, he smiled and nodded. Today he found a new respect for her. Felt closer than ever before. Knew more about her now than yesterday. Sam was a tower of strength, a warrior, a genius and she knew how to separate her feelings from her job with grace and cunning. He never knew before this moment who she really was, and all that she held inside - away from prying questions.

"Chancellor Vrast, here."

"Chancellor, this is Dr. Daniel Jackson, of the Tau'ri….."

It took well over three hours after the Chancellor arrived to even get to a point of negotiating and Daniel was exhausted by the time the deal was made.

Following the negotiations General Landry ordered Daniel to rest. Dr. Lam insisted, and Sam begged him. He hadn't slept, but he wasn't going anywhere – he was staying right here in the control room. At least that was his intention, until Teal'c took a firm hold of his arm and literally dragged him away.

"Incoming message!" Walter's voice was hopeful and excited.

Pulling from Teal'c's grasp, Daniel ran over to the console and stood behind the Chief.

"Put it through, Walter." Landry stood beside Daniel, took a quick glance at him then back to the computer.

The screen fluctuated before displaying two familiar looking non-human aliens holding Vala.

"Tenat?" Daniel questioned, unsure.

"I am Ral. Tenat is dead. But we have something you have lost."

Vala, obviously injured and weak, still managed to roll her eyes and with fingers to thumb, she opened and closed her hand in a talking nonsense gesture.

"Perhaps a trade is in order?" Ral snatched Vala forward.

Controlling his features, Daniel thought _yes! _But instead he calmly answered, "Stargate Command does not barter with terrorists."

General Landry leaned in. "We have you on our sensors. Look up boys and see the welcoming committee."

Odyssey, along with a squadron of 302's seemed to be staring down the throat of the marauder's ship.

Daniel did not take his eyes off of Vala, who continued to flap her hand, obviously annoyed with the entire conversation. Suddenly, she turned to white light and re-molecularized in the control room, hand still moving. Her legs trembled and General Landry and Walter grabbed her, moving her into Walter's vacant chair. Overcome with relief, Daniel braced himself on the back of her chair.

Head tilted completely back to look up at Daniel, Vala pouted. "You were right all along. I'm sorry. And those seemingly pesky military non-fraternization rules appear to make a little sense now. But we'll still be BFF won't we darling?"

Confused he asked, "BFF?"

"Best friends forever." She dropped her head wearily. "It's a popular culture reference, even I know that!"

"Right. Friends." He rotated her chair around to face him and smothered her next comment when he plastered his mouth over hers.

General Landry cleared his throat.

"Well." Vala sighed – uncharacteristically blushed red and blinkingly bewildered - "that's not at all what Samantha and I do, but I suppose girl/boy best friends are a bit different."

Dr. Lam pushed her way through the crowd around Vala.

"It's nothing, really." Vala insisted as her friend, the doctor, knelt beside her and inspected the wound.

"Let's get you to the infirmary." Carolyn smiled, insisting.

Vala nodded and then looked at Landry, "Mitchell?"

"They're all fine. On their way back."

Grinning weakly, Vala let the medics put her on the gurney. She closed her eyes, dog-tired and hurting. She felt Daniel's hand take a firm hold of hers. Her eyelids fluttered open and she smiled up at him. "It's not bad, Daniel. I promise."

He frowned down at her.

"Really, darling."

As they left the control room, Daniel looked back at Sam. She waited by the console, calmly staring out the window at the Stargate. He squeezed Vala's hand and walked along beside her.

……

While Jack was filling General Landry in, Sam pulled Mitchell aside telling him what she knew about Vala. As soon as she finished, Mitchell took off, nearly at a run, for the infirmary.

Sam caught Jack's eye, smiled knowingly, lovingly, and ran out after Cam.

As they left, Landry turned a minute to them then back at Jack. "Why do I always get the feeling that I really have no control over them?"

Jack grinned, "Because you don't sometimes. It's a matter of 'choose your battles' when it comes to SG-1. I know. I've been there."

……

Teal'c stood at the infirmary door. "It is good to see you well, ColonelMitchell."

"You too, buddy. How's it going in there?"

"Her injury is not too serious and should heal quite well. There was much blood loss but no sign of infection. DoctorLam has dressed the wound. DoctorLam and DanielJackson are arguing. ValaMalDoran is eating and watching them."

"Let me guess. Carolyn wants Jackson to leave and Jackson insists on staying?"

"Or," Sam added, "Dr. Lam thinks she can release Vala, and Daniel insists she stay?"

"I believe ColonelsMitchell and Carter, that you may both be correct. The argument seems to go from one category to another. I am unsure of what the current one is. However, perhaps you can assist DoctorLam in removing DanielJackson from the infirmary before the Marines arrive."

Mitchell did a double take at Teal'c, "Marines, is that a joke? I can never tell."

"She has called them." Teal'c did a slight bow, a smile on his face.

"Ya know, when I took this job I never expected to be refereeing Wiley Coyote and the Roadrunner. " Mitchell sidled through Sam and Teal'c into the infirmary to rescue his archeologist and save his favorite doctor.

The two were nose to nose exchanging words. Vala sat up against the pillows propped behind her, picking up scrabbled egg pieces with her fingers and popping them into her mouth while grinning at the show before her. When she spotted Mitchell, her eyes grew round and she beamed a smile at him, hopped out of the bed and with the force of a Grizzly she slammed into him and hugged him tight.

"Whoa, princess!" Cam gently set her back. "I see you're doin' good."

Vala had a sparkle of tears in her eyes. "Cameron, I so wanted to rescue you."

Mitchell laid a hand on her shoulder. "I know. You would have, ya just got a little sidetracked." Both Mitchell and Vala turned to see that Dr. Lam and Daniel were still arguing.

As Sam and Teal'c came across the room to visit with Vala, Cam folded his arms across his chest, cocked his head to the side and grinned at the Doctors Lam and Jackson. When the two Marine guards came in, he held up a hand to stop them, and then pointed "leave". Both Marines frowned and left without a word.

"I need to shower, check in with the General." Mitchell unfolded his arms, squeezed Vala's good arm and headed out.

"Hmm. I need to check on my eBay bid. It's probably closed and I don't even know if I got that cute little tiara." Vala followed Mitchell.

"Perhaps I should separate them?" Teal'c looked concerned at Dr. Lam and Daniel.

"Nah, just leave them. They'll work it out. I need to go see a General about a ... tongue lashing." Sam grinned and left.

……

Daniel ate at the stack of pancakes on his plate. "Vala it's Mardi Gras day. As in Fat Tuesday… THE Fat Tuesday. The worst day. We couldn't get a flight to New Orleans even if we wanted to go."

"I say we beam in." Vala grinned and winked at Sam while stuffing a piece of buttered toast into her mouth. It was 0500 hours and the commissary was empty except for SG-1.

"Yeah, like that's gonna fly." Mitchell sat back, arms akimbo and frowned, turning to Daniel. "I've been to Mardi Gras… you definitely don't want her loose on Bourbon Street. It makes that last bunch of weirdo planet people look like a field of baby lambs."

"Me? What do you mean; I don't want her loose on Bourbon Street?"

"Oh, come on Jackson! Please! I'm neither blind nor stupid."

From one to the next, Daniel looked at his teammates. Mitchell stared him down with his all knowing look. Sam was nodding in agreement. Teal'c gave a deep meaningful bow. Finally his eyes hit on Vala.

She watched those beautiful blue eyes fire up and glare, those soft yielding lips of his, tightened into a disagreeable frown. "I swear, Daniel, I didn't say a word. Not one little word. Really. Nothing. My lips were sealed. Cameron, I didn't tell you did I?"

Mitchell didn't answer. He didn't have too. She was about to hang herself and he was enjoying the show.

"Cameron? I mean I didn't say anything like… Daniel and I were, like, hooked up did I? Daniel, you already told Sam and Teal'c we were sort of dating. One of them probably told him when we got back." She was shaking her head emphatically, "I was busy trying to get them out of there. I might have told the guards that my lover was once ascended and that he had a big… ah… arsenal and that he was very jealous and that his name was Daniel Jackson. But I never really said… oh well that was that one little slip. But really I could have been talking about anyone. Really darling, not a peep. You know I love you and would never reveal our little secret. It's much too early in our relationship to announce to the world that we're sleeping together or anything like that."

Mitchell, arms still crossed, shot a finger out in Vala's direction, "Signed, sealed and delivered."

Daniel, hands on his cheeks in an effort to keep his face from exploding into tiny pieces, closed his eyes and groaned.

"I believe, DanielJackson, that you're cat escaped from your bag some time ago."

Vala's eyes grew rounder. "You have a cat?"

Sam laughed. "Yes, Daniel. I believe Teal'c's right." She rubbed his shoulder a moment. Turning to Mitchell Sam asked, "so, are we going to New Orleans and have the curse lifted or not?"

"You're on board for that?" Mitchell was genuinely shocked.

"Sure. I say we go even if it is Mardi Gras. Today is all we have, we've got another mission briefing at 1100 hours tomorrow. We don't have much time. The ships in orbit, the crew's there anyway. It won't cost the government a penny. Ah, that's not exactly true. I'll have to think about that one."

"Teal'c?"

"Murray would be honored to see the Crescent City." Teal'c bowed his head and grinned.

Vala obviously happy, nodded. "I think we have to go. Besides, Daniel and I have decided to call it quits. We're just not cut out for this dating stuff, are we darling? It's so nerve racking. Well, maybe not completely quits. Actually, Daniel wants to call it quits, he keeps forgetting that, anyway, I think that if the curse was lifted we might have a better chance. I don't think… what is it Daniel? Are you feeling unwell? Don't you want to go?"

Mitchell turned to Daniel, "So, lover boy, how 'bout you?"

……

"What do you mean we have to wear costumes?" Sam asked as the five of them walked through the corridors of SGC.

Vala walked beside Sam in the lead, the guys followed behind them. "Every one does. I looked it up on the internet. I've seen the pictures. We can all go in leather and Teal'c…Murray can wear the shinny Jaffa suit. Besides, I didn't win my bid for the tiara, I need to compensate."

"No way." Daniel said.

Vala turned and walked backwards. "Please. That way no one would recognize us." She pouted.

"It's not like we're going into an Ori village." Daniel's hands were in his pockets and he was frowning.

"Ha! Worse." Mitchell's arms were crossed and he scowled.

"ValaMalDoran is correct. I have seen the pictures. It would be advantageous to dress appropriately." Teal'c, hands locked behind his back, brow raised in interest, stared ahead.

Teeth bared and locked in her Valaesque grin, Vala nodded emphatically.

"I'm not wearing leather." Sam took a hold of Vala's sleeve turning her forward as they approached the elevator.

"How about a Xena princess warrior costume? That's what I'm wearing, sort of an adaptation of the theme."

"Nope." Sam swiped her card.

"A middle-earth elf but with wings?"

"I like that one much better." The doors slid open and the five entered the elevator.

"I'm not wearing the leather either. It's uncomfortable." Mitchell leaned against the back wall.

"Fairy princess, elf?" Sam grinned.

"I'm thinkin' cowboy." Mitchell grinned back.

"I would not require the helmet."

They all turned to Teal'c. "That's right. You can actually walk around with your shinny First Prime tattoo thingie!" Vala sounded delighted. Everyone turned to Daniel.

"I'm going as Dr. Jackson, archeologist." They all frowned at him.


	6. Voodoo

**Chapter Six**: **Voodoo**

"Whoa! Tightie whities!" Mitchell stared in awe at the man- dressed in cowboy hat, cowboy boots, tightie whitie briefs and a guitar - posing for pictures in the middle of Bourbon Street with a woman who looked remarkably like his granmaw.

Vala was staring appreciatively at the man. "Tightie whities? I'm sure that was yet another of your cultural references, and I thought I'd finally caught on."

"Men's cotton briefs – the old fashioned underwear he has on." Mitchell turned to see Vala, smiling giddily as a group of drunken frat boys, staring transfixed at her chest, surrounded her while someone took the picture. He took hold of her arm and led her away, towards where Teal'c the Jaffa, Sam the winged elf and dull Daniel stood reading the advertisement for a Voodoo Priestess in the window of a shop on Bourbon Street.

On finger pulling his curled battered cowboy hat down low, Mitchell said, "Howdy, ma'am," to the admiring young woman who, topless painted breasts resembling big blue headlights, had winked at him.

Vala rubbed her aching arm, where Cam had grabbed her.

"You okay?" Daniel noted her pained expression.

"Yes. Nothing, just a bit sore."

"I told Lam not to let you out of the infirmary so soon!" Daniel glared.

Cam looked uncomfortably at Vala. "I'm sorry. Maybe Jackson's right."

"Really, Cameron, I was fine when she released me. A bit worried when she brought up that Dr. Hutch-a-something doctor of psychopaths guy, but then I realize she was speaking of Daniel's needs, not mine."

"Find anything?" Mitchell asked laughing at Daniel's expression and trying to peer around white bejeweled wings into the window.

"Yeah, Daniel's going in to get the information." The blond elf answered.

"Me!?"

"My wings won't fit in the doorway." Sam blinked her eyes rapidly.

"I am unsure of what, exactly, we are looking for." Teal'c's stone face clearly said 'no'.

"Hmm, not me. I'd just distract that attractive vampire clerk guy." Vala adjusted the top of her leather bustier and smiled.

"Don't look at me. This is definitely a job for Dull Daniel. You're the only one who looks weird anyway." As Daniel, disgusted sigh trailing behind him, entered the establishment. Cam hollered out, "Don't let him bite you!"

With map in hand, SG-1 wandered the streets of the French Quarter searching for one Madame Dabo, Grand Medium et Voodoo Africain.

"I can't believe we're actually going to do this." Sam was on point, the others following close behind in the crowded street.

"Look, this wasn't exactly my idea either. But hell, what can it hurt?" Mitchell adjusted his gun belt and followed behind Sam.

"There are women and men on Chulak who also perform rituals such as this Voodoo. I have seen many comparable rites on planets that I have visited." Teal'c commented from the end of the line.

Walking past OZ, the music blared into the street and Daniel had to dash after Vala and pull her away from the open bar, crowded with costumed dancers with strobe lights flashing.

Following the map, Sam led them to Decatur Street, across Esplanade Avenue and onward across Elysian Fields Avenue into the Faubourg Marigny area.

They still passed a few costumed participants, but the crowd had thinned out to a few locals heading toward Bourbon Street. Teal'c kept turning to look behind them. SG-1 passed a group of five, dressed like a 70's rock group - complete with blow up musical instruments. "I told you we needed a theme!" Vala complained.

Sam hit her wings on a lamp post knocking them askew. Mitchell repositioned them. "There ya go Galadriel." He dropped back to walk beside Teal'c.

As they walked along Frenchman Street Teal'c continued to study their six. "What is big guy?" Cam let his gaze follow Teal'c's.

"Someone is following us."

The team tightened up close, backs to each other and studied the nearly deserted neighborhood.

"Murray, is that zat you've got there real?"

"Indeed, and your gun, Cowboy Bob?"

"Yeah. Galadriel?"

"A dagger and my hand gun is in this glittering fairy-elf purse."

"Xena?"

"A P-90 in my bag."

They all turned surprised towards her.

"Really. It barely fit. I had to take it apart and remove my hairdryer, but I have my curling iron."

Dull Daniel was looking incredulous at the group.

"Nothing Jackson?"

"Noooo."

"Okay, heads up. Radio's on." Mitchell looked at Daniel, who nodded. At least he'd brought that. "May not be anything. Or may be someone intent on mugging. It happens. A lot." Mitchell started off again, Daniel behind Mitchell and Teal'c on their six. Sam and Vala crossed the street.

Intentionally, one or the other group would stop and pretend to study an intermittent shop window, all the while checking the street.

Surreptitiously Mitchell radioed Sam. "We found something."

Sam answered, speaking into the glitter wrapped radio now attached to the front strap of her wings. "The follower?"

"No, Madame Dabo. We haven't seen anyone else following… you?"

"No. All's clear. We see you. On our way. Carter out."

"Shouldn't that be Galadriel or Tinkerbelle out?"

Sam didn't bother to answer as she and Vala crossed the street and met up with the rest of the team.

From the corner of the street a woman, dressed in Athena attire, watched. Her eyes glowed a moment and she gave a slim, evil smile.

"Way cool!" Some passing Gargoyle quipped.

……

"You don't speak English?" Mitchell was leaning on the counter studying the dark woman dressed in flowing robes who sat behind the counter. The Black Eyed Peas were blaring over the radio beside her.

The woman shrugged her shoulders, "Parle vous francais?"

"Jackson get in here!"

Daniel was followed by the others who crowded into the tiny shop space.

Mitchell pointed around the group. "This is Dull Daniel, Galabriel-Tinkerbelle, Xena-sort of, Teal'c… ah Murray and I'm Cowboy Bob. We are in need of … never mind. Jackson can you talk to this woman and tell her what we're after?"

Daniel responded in flawless French, embarrassingly stating that they had come for Voodoo and not giving away any further information.

"Perhaps," the woman stated in French, "I speak some English." She switched to English with a very heavy Caribbean accent. "You are in need of my services?"

"Oui." Vala answered proudly smiling.

Daniel raised a brow and scowled.

"What? I know a little French. I watch television."

The priestess spoke in rapid French to Daniel, her eyes on Vala.

Daniel laughed uproariously. "As tempting as that is. No." Daniel answered in English.

"What did she say?" Vala grabbed Daniels arm and pinched him.

"Ouch! Stop that."

"What did she say?"

Daniel raised his eyes and saw that the others were just as interested. "She asked if I needed to … have you… ah … hmm … capitulate … yield to… never mind. It's not important."

Madame Dabo walked to the counter and set her hand atop Daniel's. "You are the archeologist, oui?"

"What? How did you know that?"

"I am… Medium et Voyant, Oui? Not only do I practice the voodoo. Come." Madame Dabo opened the little half door and motioned them through. "You have come to lift the curse. It is strong and will require much… costing you much. Oui?"

"Yeah, right. I should have known. Who brought money?" Mitchell turned to Daniel whose expression obviously stated - me. "You. That makes up for the lack of weaponry."

Vala leaned against Daniel and whispered firmly. "You are buying me one of those really large queen of the Mardi Gras tiara's we saw along the way. The real ones in the antique stores. I had to leave my treasure liberating kit at home."

When Daniel looked at Vala in shock, the priestess asked, "Vous êtes sûr, mon ami?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

……

'Athena' stood in the shadowed doorway across the street, cell phone to her ear. "My Lord Ba'al. I have there location."

"Excellent. I will send backup. Bring them to me."

……

Jack O'Neill pushed his way - as well as he could - through the shoulder to shoulder crowd. The walking parade, complete with several bands, tall colorful streamers and thousands of costumed participants meandered or danced their way down the center of Bourbon Street. Bad timing. Someone pinched his butt and he turned to find a delightfully half naked woman and a disturbingly half naked, possibly male, possibly female, grinning at him. He pushed ahead, found a slightly less crowded side street, side stepped a pair making out and pulled his radio out. "Carter?" His voice was in that whispered yell he so often used. Nothing came back. "Carter!" This time he yelled loudly and not a soul twitched around him.

The entire six people sitting around the darkened, candle lit room, jumped. Madame Dabo started chanting in fear and French.

"No, Madame, it's a radio call. Not the spirits of the dead." Daniel informed her.

Sam screwed up her mouth and excused herself from the table, walking to the front of the store. "General O'Neill?" she responded knowing full well he had to be in proximity to their location.

"Where the hell are you?" Jack continued to yell over the loud crowd noise, music and yelling women that were throwing Mardi Gras beads at him from the balcony across the street.

"Ah, we're… ah visiting someone. Where are you?"

"Bourbon and St. Ann. That's in the French Quarter in case you don't know."

"Is something amiss?"

"Amiss? What the hell does that mean? I had to threaten the god damned 'beaming' person on that god damned ship to find out where you guys went. What the hell is going on?"

"Jack, calm down. Listen, find a quiet little bar and give me an hour."

"A QUITE bar? Where? In Canada for cryin' out loud!?"

Sam pressed her lips tight to keep from laughing. Everyone, including Dabo, were now standing at the counter listening to the conversation.

"Madame, please invite the Monsieur to our gathering. This concerns him also. Please."

Five pairs of eyes widened in alarm. "Invite Jack O'Neill to a Voodoo ritual. Are you kidding me?" Daniel finally said.

"Non." The priestess returned to her seat and appeared to be meditating.

"Ah, Sir?"

"I can barely hear you." Jack walked further down the street. "Okay, now. What did you say?"

……

After giving directions to Jack, Sam, Mitchell, Daniel and Vala went to join the Voodoo priestess while Teal'c waited at the door, hands behind his back. The silence in the room lent an eerie feel to the flickering candles. Eyes lifted and met, looked away in nervousness. Suddenly, the silence was broken with a horrifying revelation when Teal'c, of all people, quietly muttered, "Uh oh."

Mitchell leaned back, looking as if he was going to pass out. "Crap. We're hooped. If Teal'c says 'Uh oh' it's bad. Really, really bad."

Daniel's head dropped to his chest. Both Sam and Vala looked wide eyed at the doorway. Madame Dabo's eyes opened slowly.

Jack burst through the doorway looking as though he would spontaneously combust at any moment. "I'm gonna say this one more time. What the hell is going on?" He stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted the priestess. Mouth falling open, his eyes glanced around the room. Plastic and cloth dolls hung from the ceiling, sat on shelves and in odd nooks and crevices. Red candles flickered, vials of indescribable liquid sat in display cases.

"O'Neill." Teal'c bowed his head.

Vala hopped up, "Oh where did you get all those wonderful beads?"

"Women kept kissing me and putting them over my head. So. Having a séance?"

Vala sat down disappointed.

"No. Sit down Jack." Daniel insisted.

"I don't think so. Any of you guys have an idea of who is hanging around this wacko town?"

Madame Dabo answered before the others. "The woman with the glowing eyes."

Shocked SG-1 remained silent.

"Yeah. How did you know?" Jack glared at the strange woman.

Before the priestess could answer SG-1 replied all at once, "Madame is Clairvoyant." "She reads minds." "Hellooo, Jack, she's a Voodoo priestess." "She's a Medium." "I have no idea, it's very odd isn't it? And which woman with the glowing eyes is it?"

One second Dabo was sitting and the next she was standing, hand out, gesturing to the empty chair beside her. Jack seemed dazed, feeling as if he were being pulled along. He took a seat in the chair.

"Please," Jack said calmly. "Will somebody tell me what's going on? Why are you here? There's a Goa…snakehead, probably Charlotte Mayfield, hanging around. And where there's Charlotte there's a "ball". He'd put the last word in air quotation marks. "If you get my drift."

"Monsieur, no need to be cryptic. It is all a part of the Curse."

"Ah. The curse? Mitchell is this your little dark horse?"

"No, Sir."

"Daniel?"

"What am I wearing Jack?"

"Right."

"Fairy princess?"

"Winged elf, and no it wasn't me either."

"Can you bring that…" Jack's hand was gesturing up and down her costume " … ya know … next time?"

Sam flushed and turned away.

Jack looked at Teal'c. "T, I know it wasn't you. But what's with the …" Jack started twirling a finger around the top of his forehead.

"It is a costume, O'Neill. Have you also come as an archeologist?" Teal'c's brow shot up as high as Jack had ever seen it. The rest of SG-1 burst into fits of laughter.

Knowing he didn't get the joke, but moving on, Jack turned his attention to Vala. "So, this one I know. Xena, Warrior Princess. Personally I think that's more of an Ishta costume. You're more the French Maid or Catholic School Girl type. Ya know, the thigh high stockings and the short, short, short skirt and little…."

Daniel's eyes were slits and his mouth a hard line. Jack cleared his throat. "So, Xena, this was your bright idea?"

"Oh! The French Maid never crossed my mind. But there's always Halloween. Next year we are getting a theme for Flat Tuesday."

"Fat," Everyone else, including the priestess, said in unison.

"Humph, well, anyway all the groups have a theme. I'll be thinking on it. Jack, will you be coming too? I need to plan. No archeologists next year. Everybody…"

"Vala!" Daniel called out, irritated. "Can we all just get back to Charlotte Mayfield?"

"Madame Mayfield and her snake are of no concern right now." Madame Dabo commented. "We must lift the curse; she is only a nuisance of this blight."

"Oh yeah, the curse. As in Mitchell's curse?"

"The curse is not belonging to one person. It is a curse of …" Dabo's eyes fluttered and she seemed to go into a trance.

Jack rolled his eyes and whispered to Mitchell. "You were the first one to say we were cursed."

Mitchell whispered back, "I only noted that one existed. I've read the files. All of them. Everybody on this team is affected. I'm sure. I read the files."

"Who are you? Clint Eastwood?" Jack's whisper got louder.

"Cowboy Bob or Ted something or the other." Vala leaned over and informed Jack. "What is she doing? Is that a seizure? Should we help her?"

"Shh!" Sam and Daniel both shushed them.

The priestess' eyes flew open. She grabbed a handful of bones from her side pocket and threw them on the table. All the candles in the room flared.

"Nice set up she's got here. Did you notice all the dolls? Is that some kind of fetish?"

"Jack, be quiet or leave."

"You can't be taking this serious, Daniel?"

Daniel pointed a finger at Jack, then at the door.

"Pfft!" Looking across to Carter, Jack rolled his eyes, but hers were locked on the bones. _Well, for cryin' out loud! They're all duped! _


	7. Wings and Tiaras

**Chapter Seven – Wings and Tiaras**

The voodoo priestess studied the scattered bones. "There is only one way to lift this curse. You must return the Eye to its desert people. All of you must take part."

Everyone at the table except for Daniel, who stared in wonder at the voodoo priestess Dabo, was looking at Daniel.

"It is the golden necklace one of you holds that is responsible for this curse. It belongs to the people and must be returned to that place."

"Abydos?" Jack practically squeaked the name - he was so amazed by the statement.

"Egypt?" Daniel said at the same moment.

"Wherever it was found. Return it." Dabo gathered the bones and replaced them in her pocket.

"Egypt! The Eye of Ra!" Both Jack and Daniel stated ardently.

"The curse of Ra." Teal'c stared transfixed at the place where the bones had laid on the table.

"The Curse of Ra? I've played that game. It's like Mahjongg." Mitchell frowned.

"No. It's the necklace Catherine Langford's father found on a dig in Giza. Part of what started the whole … you know … Program. She gave it to me, I returned it. Then, when she died, she left it to me. I have it in my quarters at SGC. We have to take it back. We have to lift the curse."

"Danny boy, that's real nice, curse lifting is really what I had in mind! There's a frickin' snakehead out there and you want to take a necklace to Egypt. Oh, yeah and Ori floating around, the Trust, the NID, the IOC, let's see, who else… what the hell did you tell this woman, anyway!?"

"Nothing. Not one word. Jack, we have to return the Eye of Ra to Egypt."

Skeptically, Jack watched Daniel, who had that serious, 'I'm not kidding and I know what I'm talking about' look that Jack dreaded. Again, he lifted his eyes to Carter who was looking intently at him. "You're falling for this aren't you?" He asked.

"It has some possible obscure scientific value. General, I think it might be a good idea."

Jack scoffed, "obscure scientific value….nice try Carter. This is pure bullshit. Let's go. Pack it up. We're heading back. You all are going to be double, triple and quad-whatever, examined." Jack stood.

Madame Dabo stood up beside him. Again, Jack had the feeling that she appeared, rather than stood. She gave him the major creeps. "Monsieur," she began.

"Call me Jack." He turned towards her feeling slightly dizzy.

"Jake." The priestess tried again.

"Jack!"

Madame Dabo lifted a hand, brought it down as Jack sat, unable to understand what was happening. "There are forces of evil surrounding this building. We must prepare." She said smiling knowingly.

"Carter?" Pleading, Jack turned towards his former 2IC.

Sam shrugged without comment.

Come." The Priestess seemed to float towards the back of the shop. "You must leave this place."

Jack, followed by SG-1, moved into a back room. Madame Dabo stood at the door as they past. The priestess leaned and whispered something in Jack's ear that made him flush and look back at Carter. When Daniel, last in line, got to the door, the priestess held out her hand. He placed a hundred dollar bill into her palm. She didn't move, only stared at him. He put another one, and then another into her hand and finally she nodded and smiled. "Return the necklace, at once. And, later, please visit me again with your mate. I have much to tell you." She motioned him through the door and closed it behind him.

The room was dark, with the exception of a door outlined across from them. When they opened it and found themselves once again on Frenchman Street far from Madame Dabo's shop, they all stood looking around a bit confused.

"I say we split up, double back and check out what's going on with Charlotte Mayfield." Mitchell pulled the gun from his cowboy costume gun belt and checked the ammo.

"I agree, but first we need to check in with base or the Odyssey." Sam moved up beside Mitchell as the group scanned the surrounding area.

"Right. General, if you don't mind…."

"Got it," Jack interrupted Mitchell, pulling out his satellite phone, "I'll check with base, you check with the ship."

"Okay, everybody heads up; keep your eyes and ears peeled, sliced, diced and makin' fries while the General and I get the scoop." Jack and Mitchell moved across the street, each taking a different position while the others waited weapons close to hand.

Mitchell returned first. "The Odyssey's left orbit. Seems our friends beamed out and she's tracking them."

Jack returned frowning. "Landry wasn't too happy until I mentioned our visitors. He's contacting the ship now."

"They're gone." Daniel informed Jack.

"Gone? As in not there?"

"They're tailing the mothership, the Goa'uld beamed out right after we left." Vala started off, back towards Madame Dabo's.

"Vala, you're going in the wrong direction." Daniel called after her.

"Oh. Right. Now what are we going to do?" She followed the group who walked back towards the French Quarter.

"Well we can get a commercial flight back." Jack offered his solution.

"Can't. We're carrying weapons…damn." Sam had caught her wings again, this time on the stop sign at Esplanade and Decatur.

The others kept walking as Jack worked to disengage her wings.

"What'd she say to you?"

"Who?" He pulled the wings loose and hand on Sam's back, walked along with her.

"The voodoo priestess."

"Oh, that. I'll tell you later." He said as they caught up with the others.

Mitchell suddenly stopped and turned. He shot a pointed finger out into the air. "Keesler!"

"Who's Keesler?" Vala asked as Daniel pulled her away from admiring the jewelry in a shop window.

"Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. It's a little over an hours drive from here."

"Good plan, Mitchell. I doubt they have any 302's. But we can rent a car and drive there and I'm sure they'll have something available for a flight home. I'll get it set up." Jack flipped his phone open as the team made it to the river front park.

"Keesler, that's where the hurricane hunters are, man I would love to see that setup!" Mitchell smiled at Sam.

"Me too. That's a wonderful idea." Sam sat on the rocks flanking the river bluff next to Teal'c and watched a Riverboat paddle past.

"I didn't get my tiara." Vala settled down on the other side of Teal'c, wiggling herself between him and Daniel and pouted.

"You'll have to wait on that princess, maybe you and Jackson can come back on your honeymoon."

Vala cupped her hands to her chest and grinned at Daniel.

"Ha-ha…funny Mitchell." Daniel frowned up at the Colonel who stood behind him, then stared across the river.

"Plan A's a bust. There are no rental cars available, however, I pulled a few strings and we have a ride in a Keesler van. They'll pick us up in two to three hours at The Dry Dock Café and Bar across the river in Algiers." Jack, hands in his pockets stood behind Sam. "We're going to Plan XYZ. We take the ferry," Jack crooked his head down river, "and wait there for them."

"Let's go." Mitchell reached a hand out to help Sam up, "We'll take our fairy to the ferry and get a bite to eat while we wait. I could eat road kill I'm so hungry."

Daniel laughed out load as he stood, then helped Vala up.

"I didn't get my tiara, I didn't get any beignets with Café au Lait, I didn't get a Hurricane drink in a souvenir glass, I didn't get to flash my boobs and get any beads and we haven't lifted the curse yet. What a depressing day!" She said so seriously no one had the heart to laugh at her.

The ferry to Algiers was packed and the team split up to find a seat for the ten to fifteen minute ride across the Mississippi.

Mitchell stood near the wired gated exit across the room, arms folded and cowboy hat pulled low.

"Save a horse, ride a cowboy… now it makes perfect sense," came the soft voice with a deep southern drawl. Cam turned to see the woman, who looked a bit like Carolyn Lam, grinning at him. He frowned as his heart did a little flip and the dark eyed beauty dressed in a short skirted nurses costume frowned back. "Oh, sorry, darlin' that's the bad thing about NawLenz, I can't always tell who's gay and who's straight. Such a pity." She turned to leave.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on a minute, you got me all wrong. I was just thinking of somebody, that's all. Come on back here, I think I might need a shot or somethin'."

……

Sitting in the plastic seat surrounded by a myriad of costumed partiers Teal'c stared ahead vacantly.

The scantily clad and heavily tattooed young woman next to him leaned over. "Hey, man, where'd you get that awesome tattoo?"

Teal'c answered without missing a beat. "Barney's Tattoo Barn in Kansas."

"Wow. Really cool. You hooked up with anybody for tonight?"

"I am."

"Too bad."

"Indeed." Teal'c returned his gaze out across the river watching as they moved further away from New Orleans, the city looking remarkably serene from the riverboat.

……

Standing on the bow of the ferry's downstairs level, Vala enjoyed the feel of the moist wind against her face. Daniel stood behind her, mere inches from her back. "I'll buy you something to make up for the tiara." He whispered against her ear.

She turned into him the hint of a smile quickly replacing her pout. "I could probably find one on eBay."

The ferry hit the wake of a freighter and Vala bounced into him. Daniel put his arms around her back to steady her. "Okay, we'll look when we get back. My treat. And… I managed to pocket a few Mardi Gras beads." His eyebrows waggled suggestively.

Smiling up into his crinkled eyes Vala nodded and kissed him lightly. "Thank you, Daniel." She turned back to the rail and he leaned against her as Algiers came closer into view.

……

Jack, in leather jacket, T-shirt and jeans sat beside Sam, who'd removed her wings and held them in her lap.

The couple across from them was making out as if no one else existed.

"I think you should put the wings back on." Jack's eyes were on the other couple.

"They just get in the way."

"No they don't. I think they're sexy."

Sam looked at him as he turned to face her. "Sexy?"

"Yeah. As a matter of fact, I think you're sexy."

"Jack." She whispered with a loving smile.

"Carter." He leaned and kissed her slowly.

"It's not easy to sit in a chair with wings on." Sam explained, looking across at the young couple still locked in a passionate, public display.

"I bet they'd look great spread out across my bed." His voice was gruff and low and sent a thrill right through her and her head snapped around, shock evident in her eyes.

Jack was grinning. "That's what she said."

"Who?"

"That Dodo lady."

"Madame Dabo?"

"Yeah, that's what she said. She had a vision. A heart stopping, need a cold shower one I might add."

With a sigh, Sam moved closer as he put an arm around her shoulder. She stared out across the river, a full blown grin spreading over her face. "I can fix that."

Squeezing her shoulder, Jack relaxed into the seat and watched the city grow smaller.

……

The Dry Dock sat at the foot of the street across from the ferry exit ramp and they wandered into the busy café, finding a large table near the bar.

Daniel had to practically shove Vala aside to see around her. "You didn't even look for a chair." He grumbled.

"Why bother? I like it here much better." She wiggled her hips against his lap and grinned.

"Fine, but you have to move when the food comes. I'm starving and very happy not to have to fight Mitchell for road kill."

"What exactly is road kill?"

"I believe, ValaMalDoran, that it is the animals that have been run over by vehicles on the roads and highways across America."

"And people eat them!?" She said loud enough to turn heads in the noisy bar area.

"The Beverly Hillbilly's do."

Vala grimaced.

The waitress arrived to take their orders. "Hi, ya'll, whatcha havin'?"

Jack looked up, "A Guiness, bowl of seafood gumbo, Cajun fries and another Guiness."

Smiling the women turned to Vala who still sat on Daniel's lap. "Oh! Crawfish Monica and Rum Punch. "

Daniel was next. "Another chair, Shrimp Po'Boy and iced tea."

"The Long Island variety, honey?" The waitress questioned.

"Sure, that's fine."

Mitchell started to warn the clueless archeologist but Jack raised a brow and shook his head with an evil grin. "I'll have a Catfish Po'Boy and a Bass." Cam grinned back at Jack.

"I'll have an Oyster Po'Boy and …hmmm … a Bloody Mary."

"Spicy?" The waitress asked Sam to clarify.

"Sure, why not."

"And you, handsome?" The waitress turned to Teal'c.

"Alligator sausage, a Muffaletta, shrimp bisque, and a Cajun Kettle Salad. And Water."

"How are we going to convince General Landry that the entire team needs to go to Egypt?" Vala looked across the table to Cam who shrugged his shoulders.

"Tell him the truth." Jack stated matter of factly.

"The truth? I never thought of that. The truth. How interesting." Vala grinned playfully.

……

After the meal was cleared away they ordered another round of drinks. Daniel pushed his chair back and patted his lap, "co'mere." He said to Vala, a huge grin on his face.

Jack covered his laugh by taking a swig of beer and cut his eyes to Mitchell who was staring open mouthed at Daniel. "Uh oh."

"Uh oh what?" Sam asked.

"Oh nothin', just uh oh in general."

Vala took Daniel up on his offer, shoving her chair aside and sitting across his legs. He placed a hand high on her thigh and blinked to focus her face so close to his. "I think I lost my glasses I can't see a damned thing."

"Darling, they're right here." She traced the edge with a finger.

"Do I love you?" The linguist slurred, taking Vala's hand and placing a sloppy kiss on her wrist.

"I don't know, do you?" Vala ran her fingers through his hair.

His lopsided grin grew larger. "Every time I look at you it's like a freight train's running through my heart and heading south right towards my…"

Vala clamped her hand over his mouth. With a grimacing grin she turned to see if anyone had heard him.

"He's feelin' no pain." Mitchell was shaking his head barely able to restrain from laughing out loud.

"Oh yeah. We need to cut him off." Jack reached across the table for Daniel's half empty 'tea'.

Sam grabbed it before he could and took a sip. "Oh boy. What's in this thing?"

"Perhaps DanielJackson's tea has fermented." Teal'c offered, taking the glass from Sam and sampling the drink. His eyebrows shot up and he passed the drink along to Jack.

Daniel was too interested in Vala to notice his drink was missing. "Let's go, baby, aren't you bored yet? I know I am… bored…if you get my drift."

"We can't leave Daniel; we're waiting on our ride."

"Oh. Right. Hey, maybe they'll bring that big old hurricane hunting plane. I rode on that one once."

"What?" Both Mitchell and Sam said in unison.

"Yep, it was on PPP33-31234. Flew that sucker right through the Stargate! Bam! There we were on another planet!" Daniel's arm shot out stabbing through the air.

"Let's get him out of here." Mitchell stood suddenly.

"Get him some coffee." Sam turned to locate the waitress.

"Isn't he just adorable?" Vala kissed Daniel, squeezing his cheeks together.

Daniel threw his arms around Vala and laid into her with a heated battle of mouth and roaming hands.

"Holy Hannah, I don't think coffee will help." Sam shook her head, then glared at Jack.

"What? I didn't order his drink." He couldn't keep the laughter inside and he and Mitchell started laughing so hard they could barely sit up straight.

"What was in that drink, Jack? He only had one and a half." Sam scowled, eye locked on the General.

"More like havin' four." Mitchell interrupted, "Vodka, tequila, rum and gin with a splash of Coca-cola."

Appalled, Sam shook her head with a deep, disgusted sigh. She stood, went and placed a hand on each of Jack's shoulders and leaned to whisper in his ear. "There will be no fairies in your bed tonight unless you go back to Bourbon Street and pick one up." She left the table in hurry.

"Oh for cryin' out loud, Carter!"

Mitchell, who overhead the comment, laid his head on the table, his shoulders shaking in silent laughter.

Teal'c gently removed Vala from Daniel's lap. "Come, DanielJackson, we will take a walk outside.

"Hey, Teac ah.. Murphy, whaz up?" Daniel swayed as Teal'c lifted him from the chair and with one arm under his, moved through the crowd and hauled the archeologist outside, pulled him up the river bluff across the street and began to walk him down the river walk, Vala trailing close behind. A large coffee in a Styrofoam cup, Sam made her way across the bluff, wings moving in the breeze, as she hurried to catch up.

Jack and Mitchell stood outside the café, clicked their beer bottles in a toast and watched.

"Uh oh." Mitchell said before his beer reached his lips. He pointed the bottle towards the two airmen getting out of the Air Force van. "Party's over."


	8. Who Knew

**Chapter Eight: Who Knew. **

Daniel woke up on the floor of an apparently in flight aircraft. Disoriented, he felt Vala's body warmth spooned against him. Having no idea of how he got here, Daniel tried to listen to the chatter in the front of the plane, but the roar of engines and the size of the airplane hindered his attempt. His head was spinning, his glasses missing and he was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with Vala snuggled up so close. Sitting up, he blinked and squinted forward. All was a blur.

His search for his glasses got no results. When he finally managed to stand, his stomach rolled and he had to wait for the accompanying dizziness to dissipate. Once he felt a bit more stable he hazard a glance at Vala who appeared to be asleep. Stepping over her carefully, face scrunched up, he strained to see his way down the aisle toward the figure far ahead.

"What the hell happened?" He barely recognized his own weak voice as he spoke to who ever stood and turned his way somewhere up the passageway.

"Dr. Jackson?" The unrecognizable airman moved closer. "You need some help, sir?"

"Seen my glasses?"

"No, sir." The airman came closer, "I can take you up front to the others."

Daniel nodded, and reeled from the dizzy spell that assaulted him. "Where am I?"

"C-130 transport out of Keesler, sir. We're on our way to Peterson." The airman stated with all due respect knowing that this group - whoever they were - were very, very important and he was instructed to treat them as such. Curiously he watched the civilian who demanded such military respect and was accompanied by one of the highest ranking Air Force Generals and two respected Colonels, along with the other two strange civilians who had been brought aboard.

Truthfully, except for the general, they all were a bit strange, well maybe him too. This was the first time he'd been assigned to a fairy Colonel, a cowboy Colonel, a rather delightfully scantily clad beauty, a bizarrely dressed and tattooed hulking …whatever and a drunk Doctor of Archeology. But, still, the Chief Master Sergeant was proud to have been chosen.

"Daniel! You're alive." Jack stood grinning, "Have a seat. Thanks, Chief, would you see if there's any coffee for our friend here, he's a bit of an addict."

The Chief was astounded by the General's casual and friendly regard. "Yes Sir!"

"At ease, airman, please for the remainder of the flight, if you think you can handle that?"

"Yes sir, thank you sir." The Chief took off to find the coffee.

"Reminds me of Walter." Mitchell commented as the Chief left.

"What the hell happened? Anybody seen my glasses?" Daniel took the seat across from Teal'c and buried his face in his hands.

"Someone named Mickey Finn, slipped something into your drink, darling." Came Vala's reply as she scooted into the seat next to Mitchell.

"Jack!" Daniel's head slowly rose to glare.

"No. I'm positive Samantha said Mickey Finn." Vala leaned her head against Mitchell's shoulder and closed her sleepy eyes.

"Your glasses fell into the Mississippi River DanielJackson. I am sorry I could not retrieve them."

"Great!" Jack?"

"Daniel?"

"What the hell happened?"

"Tea happened." Jack slouched in his seat.

"Tea?"

"Long Island Iced variety." Crossing his arms and dropping his head Jack prepared to nap.

"Mitchell?" Accusingly, Daniel turned to Cam.

"Hey, I may have taken over as leader for his team, I did not and do not intend to take responsibility for the General's…pranks concerning you or anyone else for that matter."

Turning back to Jack, who was peeping up at him, Daniel waited, squinty eyed and annoyed.

"What? You ordered it." Jack threw his arms wide.

"You knew and didn't tell me."

"Not my fault, how did I know you didn't know?"

"You knew."

"Knew not."

"Knew too!"

"How could I know?"

"Knowing is what you do best."

"Hardly, I never know."

"Ha! You know more than you know. I know you."

"You don't know me. I don't know you. I think we established that years ago, ya know?"

"Pfft! I know one thing. YOU knew!"

"God damn it, Daniel, I did not know! If it isn't beer, I have no knowledge of it."

"You had knowledge of it, I know 'cause I know you, Jack. I know and you know."

"I don't know anything more than Colonel Mitchell over there. Maybe less."

"I only know you two need to keep me out of this." Mitchell uncrossed his arms, lifted Vala's head away and shuffled out of the seat and wandered towards the cockpit.

The Chief returned, followed by another airman with several additional cups of coffee. They passed the coffee around. "Sorry," the Chief said, "we don't have any cream or sugar."

"Too bad, cocktails?" Vala smiled up at the Chief.

"Ah, no ma'am, we don't carry any liquor, we have a thermos of coffee and I've got some sodas on ice. Would you like one?"

"No. Got tea?"

The Chief turned to the airman with a questioning look.

The nervous junior officer spoke to the honored guest in the black leather bustier, "I've got some iced tea, ma'am."

Daniel groaned and the rest of the group burst out laughing while the Chief and airman exchanged confused looks.

"Water will be fine." Sam offered for Vala. "You have water?"

"Yes, Ma'am! Be right back." The young airman took off hurriedly, probably more to escape the nutty passengers then to retrieve it quickly.

……

Within the hour the Chief returned to inform them that they were circling Peterson and would be landing soon. Everyone, except for the peculiarly tattooed guy was asleep.

Teal'c, stoic Jaffa expression in place, stared at him.

"Sir, we're cleared for landing. Colonel Mitchell is piloting, sir." The Chief said nervously and just stood there unable to move or speak further.

"I will inform the others, ChiefMasterSargeant, you may take your seat and prepare yourself for…landing, hopefully." A quirk of an eyebrow illustrated Teal'c's regard for Mitchell's skills.

"Ah…umm…right. Thank you, sir." He took off without a further comment. _Damned weird guy,_ he thought, _weirdest mission I've ever been on_. He'd have a story to tell IF he survived the 'Cowboy' landing. But he was intrigued just the same and disappointed knowing he'd never get any further intel on this one.

Teal'c smiled at the retreating Chief and woke the others. "ColonelMitchell is in control of this aircraft and will attempt a landing."

They all sat up quickly and buckled their seatbelts. "Mitchell's flown everything known to mankind, at least on earth. We'll be fine." Jack said faking a little nervous grin.

"Indeed." Teal'c tightened his belt and turned to the window.

The huge plane banked shapely right and Vala let out a little yelp. "It's okay, I'm sure he's just doing the cowboy show off thing." Daniel patted her hand. Vala laced her fingers with his and squeezed until he felt the blood flow stop.

"Maybe I should go up there and be sure. I can fly anything. Even this overlarge building with wings." Vala released his fingers attempting to undo her seat belt, but Teal'c's next comment had her tightening it instead.

"Too late ValaMalDoran, I see the runway approaching… quickly." Teal'c cut his eyes to Jack who grinned back.

……

Jack had followed SG-1 into the briefing room for their scheduled mission briefing. He'd taken a seat and waited for the show to begin. No disappointment there as the team comically but oddly professional, explained the situation while General Landry uttered not a word.

Daniel, looking a bit rough, and once again bespectacled continued his glaring contest with Jack and Mitchell, filling in his parts without breaking eye contact with the one or the other of them.

"In light of what you have told me, your prior mission is scrubbed." With an expression of completely perplexed awe, Landry looked at each of them. "From the moment I first walked into this facility I have been besieged with THE most bizarre and unbelievable events. The Stargate. Spaceships, wormholes, aliens, beaming technology, Zats, Symbiotes, glowing eyes, Ori, Ancients, death and destruction of unparalleled precedent. But, by god, this one takes the cake!"

Vala leaned into Daniel and whispered, "Cake. I'm hungry."

Daniel ignored her. "Sir, I checked on going to Egypt as an Archeological team. I still have some contacts with the Egyptian Archeological Society, we've got clearance there. Also, I spoke with the University, told them I was interested in continuing part of Dr. Jordan's work. I sort of hinted that I had private funding. They're very interested. Two things… I'd actually have to do some work for them... and well, we'd have to take Steven Rayner. But he's already seen some of the …problems from my last visit there and he's already signed the non-disclosure agreement. He's pestered me over the years to get involved and he's helped me before with research, as you know, sir. So. We have an 'in'." Daniel looked away from Jack and Mitchell, who both finally relaxed in relief.

"Where do you plan on putting it? Breaking into a Museum? SG-1 is evidently very adept at that, and I'm sure Vala will have something handy to help out." The General looked at Vala who beamed proudly. Landry continued, "or perhaps you are going to just bury it in the sand? This is the most harebrained scheme I've ever heard. And that's saying a lot."

"It is a bit, you know…" Upper arms locked at her sides, Vala windshield wipered her forearms, fingers splayed and hands waving wildly in the air, "…wonko."

"Wacko." Jack offered his version.

"Off the wall." Sam commented.

"Madcap." Mitchell interjected.

"Unusual, unconventional in a way that is particularly bizarre, however, possibly functional." Teal'c observed.

Landry looked down at the table then up at Jack. "You're going I presume?"

"Oh, yeah, wouldn't miss this one for all the power of the Ori. Besides, the Queen of Voodooism instructed me to go forth and" he brushed a hand across the table, "… and be un-cursed, and a few other things you really don't want to know about." Jack grinned across the table at Sam.

Shaking his head, visibly disturbed, Landry turned to Mitchell. "A research team of six…no make that seven with Rayner. We have archeologists Dr. Jackson and Dr. Rayner, who are these people?" The general swept a finger around the group.

"Well, I'm Vala Mal Doran, General Landry." She grinned and Landry glowered at her.

"Hmm. I haven't quite figured that one out. Yet." Mitchell confessed.

"See that you do. I'm giving you thirty-six hours from point of departure," Landry checked his watch, "Which had better be in the next eight hours, so I suggest you get it figured out soon. You have a go. Dismissed."

……

"I could be your lovely assistant," Vala settled next to Daniel at the table, with only a salad on her tray.

Daniel studied Vala's salad. "I thought you were hungry."

"Heaven's no. I don't know if I can eat this. My stomach is still a bit off kilter."

The minute the newcomer across from him took an interested look at Vala, Daniel moved closer to her. Under the table Daniel squeezed her thigh. Vala looked up suddenly big eyed and grinning. "Well, on second thought, I am hungry." She hopped up and scurried to the commissary line.

Having seen the interplay between Daniel and the obviously besotted woman, Vala, the other archeologist looked across at his colleague, "So, how are we going to play this?" Dr. Steven Rayner was in his personal hog heaven. He'd gotten the basic tour of the amazing base, (not knowing he'd missed the best part) and he was intrigued by the little information Daniel had reluctantly offered. "I mean, I understand – not completely understand – the concept. Artifact that somehow got into Daniel's hands – which you can't divulge the truth about – has to be returned to Dr. Langford's original dig in Giza. A dig that was long ago covered up by the government and the rumors concerning that have spread to unimaginable proportions throughout the archeological community over the last 60 years. A place where the rest of you can't be the rest of you. Somehow it all revolves around…deep space telemetry and a heavily armed military base and Dr. Jackson who insists he's not military in military garb."

Steven studied Murray's golden tattoo but didn't mention it, having been cut off by the entire 'team' when he'd commented on it earlier. He'd seen something similar before, but he couldn't place where. Steven started to continue but was struck dumb by the tray Vala placed on the table. Four cups of Jell-o, a piece of chocolate cake – that Sam Carter quickly took a forkful of – two apples, an orange, a pile of peas, mashed potatoes, a glob that resembled macaroni and cheese and a baked chicken thigh, leg attached – which the tattooed guy - Murray - swiped off the plate.

Daniel leaned back in his chair and placed and arm across the back of Vala's watching Steven. The message was clear and Steven conveyed his acquiesce with his eyes. "Okay, here are my thoughts since you insist on going incognito, and I very strongly assume you have the means to back up with documents." Steven pointed to Samantha Carter, "Interim Dean of Science Department Dr. O'Neill and her husband Jack," he moved the pointed finger to Jack, who looked taken aback. "Dr. Jackson, Archeologist and leader of the expedition, and his wife, Mrs. Vala Jackson." He indicated Daniel and then Vala, who beamed ecstatically and hugged Daniel's arm. "Worker bees, Cam Mitchell and Murray who has no last name and will need one for his passport." After a quick point at the two, Steven turned his finger to himself, "Dr. Rayner, Dr. Jackson's partner in crime…ah I mean studies."

Daniel leaned forward with a healthy smile and reached across the table, hand out, which Steven took and the two shook on the deal in a friendly manner. "Glad to have you along Steven." Daniel spoke sincerely.

"Happy to oblige, Daniel. I have to say, it's good to be 'friends' once again."

Daniel nodded in agreement.

Jack turned to Sam, "Mrs. O'Neill, you want to set it all up?"

"That's Dr. O'Neill, and yes I would be happy to."

"Mitchell bee, you mind losing your command? Once in Egypt, Drs. Jackson and Rayner will be heading up the expedition." Jack had a piece of pie hovering near his mouth, waiting.

Crossed arms tightening, Cam crooked his mouth and thought a minute. "Guess not. Won't be the first time" He smiled at Sam, then turned back to Jack. "It's been a while since I was worker bee status, but I can do it."

"What exactly is a worker bee, DoctorRayner?" Teal'c, brow raised, questioned.

Steven looked stumped by the question.

"He's not from around here." Daniel explained.

"Yeah, sort of like Sarah's Osiris?"

"Sort of. Let's just leave it at that. We'll fill him in later."

"Sure." Steven had an inkling of what was going on and was ravenous for more explanations, but knew none were forthcoming.

"I'm not happy with just being Mrs. Jackson." Vala spoke around a mouth full of cake. "I mean, can't I be Mrs. Doctor Vala Jackson? Doctor of treasure liberating and flyology. I am the expert in both fields after all. I can fly an Al'Kesh, a mothersh…oh, oops!"

"Al'Kesh?" Steven asked confused.

"A ride at the fairgrounds." Daniel offered in explanation.

"Ah. Nothing to do with spaceships, outer space, glowing eyed people?"

"Hardly! I'm the all American type girl." Vala responded nervously with her decidedly un-American accent

"Sure you are." Steven grinned at Daniel, shrugged and looked around the group. When his gaze returned to Vala and Daniel, it was if the two where exchanging light saber beams in silent battle. _He's in love, the sap, and I'll be damned if that woman is not an alien! Weird. _

"Okay, campers, we leave as soon as 'Dr. O'Neill' gives the word. I suggest you all prepare for a lovely trip to Sandland. Pack light…Vala. No hairdryers, curling irons, treasure liberating do dads." Jack stood, silently dismissing the group. "Dr. Rayner, you're with me, we need to go over a few points about events that may or may not take place."

As he followed the general out, Steven thought about the complete change in Daniel. He'd buffed up, not like the big guy, but he was not the geeky, mild mannered archeologist Steven had known. Not only did Daniel wear that uniform with self-confidence, but he was obviously well respected, an intricate and well loved member of this team and this facility and he carried about him an air of what could be only described as battle honed autonomy. Steven was determined to follow this through, do a good job and hopefully become permanently involved in whatever strange and exciting things were going on under this mountain.

……

"Daniel, I don't think I can pack light." Vala jammed her hands on her hips, kicked the door to his quarters shut and pouted unhappily. Her pout was quickly replaced with an astonished and muffled moan.

Trapping her against the door, Daniel kissed her. When he let go, she slumped and grinning dazed, she sighed. "Well, obviously I won't need any clothes." She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back until he got a grip on his senses and took back control. Her hands moved to propel him back towards the bed; his hands were tangled in her hair, holding her head and therefore her mouth right where he wanted it. When his legs hit the bed, he fell back taking her with him.

"Hold on. Damn. We don't have time for this. We can't be … you know… on the base." Daniel didn't let her go, but started devouring her neck with his teeth and lips.

"I beg to differ. I'm current on a mission as your wife, Mrs. Dr. Daniel Jackson." She was tugging his T-shirt from his pants.

He ran a hand up under the back of her shirt, the other hand parked at her neck to hold her in place as he once again attacked her mouth.

She was fighting his belt buckle in haste, he was fighting her hands off, lips still locked, tongues sparing.

The knocking at the door sent Vala up and back as if slammed with a ribbon device. Hands scurrying to right her clothes, mouth open and teeth locked in a grimace of fear and defeat she stared wide eyed.

"Yeah?" Daniel called tucking his shirt back into his pants and unable to get the buckle of his belt to buckle up - he snatched it out of the loops and threw it across the room. Righting his glasses he opened the door.

Sam stood there, Mitchell and Teal'c right behind her. "Hey, we're about ready, just waiting on the documents to be delivered. We've got an hour. Thought we'd go out for a bite."

"I'll pass." He barely was able to speak.

"Vala?" Sam called out knowing she was probably behind the door.

"No. Thanks. Not hungry. Not for food." Vala answered in a husky, shaky voice.

"Okay, you two, be good. We'll be back soon." Sam turned with a knowing grin and clueless Mitchell and unconcerned Teal'c followed her.

Daniel shut the door and locked it. He turned to Vala who was grinning, looking totally disheveled and beautifully flushed.

"An hour Daniel. An hour."

They came together, a whirlwind of arms and clothes flying, falling back onto the bed.

Pulling his mouth away from her, Daniel's breathless vow washed across her skin. "Holy buckets, Vala, I'm so in love with you."

"Good. That makes two of us - I mean me too…you too." She arched, to bring her skin back against the hot wetness of his mouth.

"Vala."

"We only have an hour, Daniel. Stop talking."


	9. Walk Like An Eqyptian

**The Curse Chapter 9 - Walk Like an Egyptian **

They picked up the old converted Land Cruiser the University had loaned them and headed south out of the Cairo International Airport, towards the Giza Plateau.

Steven drove, having been here within the past few months, he knew he's way around.

"It's not too far, the plateau's just few kilometers out of Cairo."

"kher neter." Daniel spoke the ancient words.

"The necropolis." Steven translated, turning to the others in the back rows of seats. "It's what the ancient Egyptians called Giza."

The drive was hot and loud through the 7000 year old city and the passengers spent their time looking out at the sights.

"I saw some lovely hotels on the internet, where are we staying?" Vala leaned from the middle back seat, pulling at Daniel's sleeve.

"At the dig. We've been assigned three tents."

"Tents! Daniel this is one of THE largest urban areas in the world and it has everything modern one could think of …surely you don't intend for us to stay in a tent in the sand?"

"Vala, this is not a vacation. We have to stay at the dig site. They're nice tents, really. Not like camping tents. We have less than 36 hours to figure out what we're going to do with the … artifact."

"Right, here's what we could do. I say we go to the Egyptian Antiquities Museum, I'll get one of those glass cases open, we drop it in and get out. Twenty minutes tops! Then we have thirty five hours to sight see, shop and … well … spend some **time** in a luxury hotel. How does that sound?" When Daniel turned from the front seat to stare at her she was stone faced and serious.

"Vala?" Jack leaned across from the back jump seat and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Yes?" Knowing Jack would have something inane to say Vala didn't bother turning around.

"I hate to be the one to tell you this but I …lost…ah …all your other bags. The ones you checked. The ones with all the do dads in 'em." Jack sat back and grinned across to Sam.

An expression of shear panic on her face Vala's head snapped around. "All?" She managed to squeak out.

"Yeah, sorry, hope you've got what you need in the carry on."

"All?" She said incredulous.

He nodded in confirmation. "All. All three of them. Lost."

With a startled sigh she sat back against the seat. "Daniel?"

Instead of looking back at her, he gazed out his window, trying to hide the huge smile on his face. "Let's discuss this later, Vala."

"Daniel." Her voice rose in panicked agitation. When he didn't answer she glared at the back of his head until she noticed everyone staring out across the desert. Disgruntled, she dug into the pack she carried on the plane, retrieved her giraffe –kissing it quickly - and held it up behind her shoulder towards Jack. "This is all I have to wear. Hope you're happy." Stuffing the toy into the pack Vala folded her arms cross her chest, tossed her head, let out a puff of agitation and slammed her eyes closed.

"The dig's a few miles up ahead. I thought you might like a close up of this. What a sight!" Steven drove across the sand coming to a stop in the shadow of one of the Great Pyramids.

Sounds of awe filled the quiet car and Vala opened her eyes to the majesty of the ancient Pyramid. SG-1 and Jack piled out of the vehicle and stood looking up forgetting for a moment that Steven Rayner was there.

Daniel let out a deep breath. "Abydos." He said, wrapping an arm around Vala and pulling her close. "Looks like Abydos, you were asking about it… here it is."

The mixture of joy and sadness in his voice combined with the magnitude of the structure made Vala forget all about her luggage.

Jack placed a hand on Sam's shoulder, "Definitely brings back some memories. Beautiful isn't it?"

Sam laid a hand atop his. "Makes me think of Kowalski." Sam bit her lip and blinked the tears away.

Jack kissed the top of her head. "You're such a softy, that's why I love you so much."

"Shh." She scolded him.

"Don't shush me. We're Dr. Mrs. and Mr. O'Neill. I haven't been a Mr. O'Neill in so long when the guy called my name at the ticket counter, I looked around to see who he was talking to."

"I'll call you General, Sir."

"The hell you will! I'm Mr. O'Neill tagging along with his beautiful and brainy wife." He grinned at her. "I'm hoping you'll keep the name. It sounds good."

Sam pulled back with beetled brows. "What?"

"You heard me."

"Yeah, and so did I." Daniel looked back at the couple who stood behind him.

"As did I ColonelCarter…pardon me, Dr.O'Neill." A brow rose as Teal'c turned towards Jack with a slight nod.

Mitchell, hands on hips and staring up the pyramid, spoke without turning around. "We're waitin' Sam. Give us a Holy Hannah or somethin'."

"I think a yes would be very nice, Samantha. I love weddings. It's not the best proposal I've ever heard, but it is Jack after all." Vala was grinning happily.

"Well, I hate to rush you, 'Dr. O'Neill', but it's getting late and we need to check in at the site and get settled." Steven returned to the car and started the motor, intending not to intrude, and he wanted to write down some things. Like Abydos and Kowalsky.

"Come on guys; let's leave 'em be." Mitchell started back towards the car.

"Wait!" Sam stopped the others from leaving. She turned to Jack. "Yes. I'll keep the name." She kissed his check and reached back and grabbed Daniel's hand and pulled him into a sideways hug, Vala came along too and Teal'c encircled them, and with a defeated sigh, Cam put his hand on Sam's shoulder, but that was as far as he was willing to go.

"Oh, for cryin' out loud, a group hug, that just sucks!" Jack backed off, "Let's get to the dig site."

……

"Dr. Jackson!" The older man approached at a fast pace, "So glad you've come. I'm Dr. Sung, I've been assigned as your guide, you and Steven's." The professor, wearing a T-Shirt that read 'Archeologist Date Just About Anything', shook hands with both Daniel and Steven.

"Thank you." Daniel knew of the man, but had never met him. "You took over Dr. Jordan's position at the University, right?"

"Yes, but I'm not much for desk jobs; prefer the digs. Let me get you all settled. We've set up your tents over there," he pointed across the site, walking as he continued, "away from the maddening crowds so to speak. I've got thirty students running around here. Ah, here we are." Dr. Sung waved a hand towards the tents. "You, Dr. Jackson, and your wife are in the first tent, Dr. O'Neill and her husband in the second, and Steven and your students in the third. The crate you had shipped is in Dr. O'Neill's tent. Can't tell you how proud we are to have you, Dr. O'Neill. Perhaps we can talk later. Can't keep up with who's who at that University, never there."

"Students?" Mitchell mumbled to Teal'c.

"Worker bees perhaps?" Teal'c wondered aloud.

"Bees sting ya know?" Mitchell scowled, looking back at Daniel.

"So I have heard." Teal'c entered the tent, looked around and came out again.

"We have three hours before sunset, feel free to ask questions, acquaint yourselves with the layout. Dinner's just after sundown in the big tent in the center. I need to get back to work. We'll discuss things tonight. We're all very excited…we may have found part of Dr. Langford's original dig from 1928…good stuff. As long as the government doesn't figure out what were doing – talk later." Sung wandered off toward the throng of students at the far end of the dig.

"Langford's dig?" Daniel took off after the professor.

……

They didn't see Daniel again until dinner when he showed up at the mess tent in blue bandana, covered head to toe in sand and dust. Vala nearly swooned when she saw him, he'd never looked sexier. Damn the man anyway.

Daniel grabbed a tray, filed his plate to overflowing and joined his team, sitting beside Vala with a weary grin. He dug in, obviously hungry.

Halfway through his meal Vala placed a hand on his leg. He stopped the forkful of food close to his mouth and turned to look at her. Softly Vala whispered, "I don't have a thing to sleep in. And you're right, the tent is quite nice. You failed to tell me it was large and well constructed. There's even a real bed in there, not two cots as I expected. A nice comfortable bed. I'll be waiting." She pulled her legs around the bench, grinned and sauntered off whistling.

The fork fell unnoticed to his tray, he grabbed the piece of cake and hurried after her.

……

The morning sun was unrelenting as they all participated at the University's dig site. Daniel agreed with Dr. Sung as did Steven. It was probably part Langford's site. Just the place they needed to unload their artifact. Somewhere where no on would find it, that is if Daniel could locate what he was looking for.

"How was your evening?" Sam was sifting dirt through the screen as Vala continued to carefully dig up hunks of earth and sand and place them in the sifter.

"Wonderful. You?"

"The best." Stopping a moment, Sam tilted her head up and grinned at Vala.

"We're in love, you know." Vala started digging again.

"Yes," Sam was sifting again, "We all do, remember?"

"Ah, wonderful mission. I wish they were all like this. I don't even mind the heat and sand. Wouldn't it be perfect if we only had these kinds of missions?"

"Hmm. Yes." Sam gave a dreamy sigh smiling happily.

"What are we looking for again?" Vala wiped sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. Squinting, she shaded her eyes and searched for Daniel, spotted him in the distance and returned to her work.

Sam pulled out the drawing that Daniel had given them, the reproduction of the necklace. "Any fragment, lines, any part of this - it's what we are looking for. Daniel had the advantage of seeing a lot of Langford's notes, because we had clearance. So, we're all trying to locate the hidden cavern, that's where he'll drop it. No one knows how deep it is and hopefully no one will ever reach the bottom. I have to admit I'm looking forward to being curse free. I've seen so much over the years since I joined the program, I no longer discount everything that is unfounded in science." Sam set the sifter down and the two started closely inspecting the pieces.

……

Steven, in the cataloging tent, methodically searched through the crates he'd packed months ago looking for the golden eye symbol he'd found, and set aside to study. A symbol that though of different design reminded him of the one Murray had tattooed on his forehead, now covered with a bandana.

"Where's the kid in the candy store?" Mitchell asked sitting at a mess table for their scheduled daily 1500 hour meeting.

"Ah, I know that one. You're talking about Daniel. He is rather giddy digging around and studying all the stones and such, 'like a kid in a candy store'. Ha ha…I got it!" Vala grinned and shrugged her shoulders.

"Where is he?" Mitchell asked again.

"I have no idea, he's out there somewhere wearing that adorable blue bandana, the one that makes his eyes stand out like sapphires, looking hot and sexy and all the young women are following him around all goo-goo eyed and enthralled." Vala banged her elbows on the table and dropped her chin into her hands in disgust.

"Thank you Vala for that important intel." Jack grinned across the table.

At that moment the object of Vala's affection entered the tent. Sam looked up as Vala did when he entered. Cocking her head, Sam eyed the subject. "She's right you know," she said to Jack with a wicked smile. Jack rolled his eyes in exasperation.

Daniel took a seat across from Teal'c with a quick glance at Vala. "It's Langford's dig alright." He pulled something from his pocket and held it in his palm. Vala picked it up and studied it briefly, "Teal'c, it looks Jaffa." She passed it to Teal'c.

"With out a doubt, Horus Guard." The Jaffa passed it on to Sam.

Sam nodded and handed it to Mitchell who shrugged and laid it on the table in front of Jack. "Looks Goa'uld, definitely Ra's." Jack slid it across the table to Daniel with one finger.

……

Gould-Jaffa-Horus Guard-Tealk. Steven scribbled the words in his notebook before circumventing the tent and coming around to the entrance.

"I found something I dug up months ago." Steven sat next to Daniel and placed the golden piece in front of Teal'c. "Something maybe… 'Murray' can explain." He pointed to the symbol.

Steven kept his eyes on Murray. "That tattoo on your forehead, it kind of reminds me of that."

"Oh! Isn't that pretty. What is it?" Vala tried to blow it off as nothing. "Doesn't look a thing like Murray's. Although he did say he saw his in a magazine. Right?"

"National Geographic." Murray commented.

"Where did you find it?" Daniel picked up the piece and rolled it through his fingers like a poker chip.

"Map two, grid eight. It's the only thing we found there after two years. The dig's moved on. That one is a bit remote." Steven measured Daniel's reaction. "You know something."

Daniel lifted his eyes to Jack.

"Can you get us there…without a lot of speculation?" Jack asked Steven.

"As in incognito?"

"Precisely. We don't want an audience. We need to make sure no one…NO ONE… knows we've been there."

"It's a few miles out in the desert from here. We can take a trip to town tomorrow so to speak and double back. I know the way, and you could never find it without me. I'm going."

"We'll head out at 0500."

……

Later that evening, Daniel entered his tent and stopped in his tracks. "Where did you get that?"

Vala's head turned slowly to look at him over her shoulder. "From Dr. Umbada, she brings one to every dig. I traded her my new Rhinestone hair clip, a Burt's Bees lip gloss and the romance novel I brought along. We filled it up from the big water truck. Sam has Dr. Christianson's." Taking the sponge, Vala drizzled water across her naked back. "Care to join me?"

Daniel started stripping in haste.

"There's a bucket over there, rinse some of the dirt off first, darling, we don't want a mud bath."

Later, snuggling into the clean sheets Vala had gotten through a trade for her battery operated curling iron the two quietly fell into exhausted sleep.

……

Drowsy, Jack's head rested against the back of the wooden tub, arms across the sides, scared knees sticking up out of the water and Sam's back pressed against his chest.

Laughing silently, Sam's body shook and his head jerked up. "What?"

"I'm getting cold."

"Yeah, feels great doesn't it? What'd you have to give up for this?"

"Three of my new black tank tops leaving me with only two because I had to give Vala two since you left her without much…and two pair of my moisture wicking socks. Well worth it. I'm getting out. I'm freezing."

"Hey, hey, wait a minute. I'll warm you up a bit. I'm not ready to leave the cool comfort just yet. Hang on there, I have an idea."

……

The early morning ride across the desert was insufferably hot and rough. Nothing they hadn't all experienced before. Steven studied his map and compass frequently for the long drive but insisted they were making good time and would be there soon. "The place reminds me of that place where Sarah and her funky hand…."

"Thingie?" Vala offered.

"Yeah, that. Where you found me after the whole Osiris incident with the thingie." Steven finished and grinned across at Daniel. "It's not as big inside, and it's pretty much been cleaned out. It looks older, more crumbled, no writings, no weird panels. Hope you aren't disappointed."

"Not likely." Daniel reached back and squeezed Vala's hand. Mitchell rolled his eyes and Teal'c smiled.

Within the hour, they pulled up in front of the partially buried stone entrance. They unpacked their equipment, pulled out their weapons from the crate Landry had shipped and all but Steven filed one by one into the dark structure.

It took Steven a full minute to recover from the shock of watching them heavily arm themselves, before he forced himself and his flashlight into the crypt.

Daniel stood in the center of the room. His eyes moved with the light from his P-90, shifting intermittently to area's lit by the others. He closed his eyes a moment to get his bearings, recreating the picture he'd studied in his mind.

Each one of the others searched with their lights while Steven stood watching. "What am I looking for, Daniel?" He asked resting the beam of his flashlight on the floor.

"Some clue, some marking of a well."

"There's no well here, no markings, no clues. We've had fifty of the finest comb over every inch of this place."

"Oh, it's here. I know it is. I just have to find it." Daniel's light went to the ceiling, scanning back and forth. He almost missed it, the nearly imperceptible eye near the southeast corner of the ceiling. "There. See. There it is." Moving towards the spot, Daniel stopped under it, feeling the loose stone beneath his foot. "Over here." He called to the others who brought their lights to where his shined on the floor. As one, Jack and SG-1 knelt and began to loosen the stones. When one finally came free Daniel tossed it aside and shined his light into the well.

Teal'c dropped a large chunk of debris into it but it never made a sound. Together all seven of them shone their lights into the depths without seeing past the darkness far below. "This is it. This is the Well of Ra."

"You don't think there's any, you know, 'Snakes' down there do you?" Vala looked Daniel in the eye.

"Gould?" Steven asked having put many of the pieces of their puzzle together.

"Goa'uld." Teal'c corrected. "Most likely not. They would not have left such a treasure behind."

Daniel lifted the necklace out of his T-shirt and over his head, dangling it over the opening. He hesitated closing his eyes, his mind flashing back like a video on fast rewind. Solving the riddle of the Stargate, the first time he stepped through the portal. Abydos, Kasuf, Skaara … Sha're. His heart wrenched and he sat back on his heels feeling Vala's quiet presence beside him as his fingers opened and he released the golden object into the void.

He watched it fall in slow motion disappearing into the darkness. Suddenly he turned to Vala with a smile so broad and happy her heart leaped in joy. She kissed him unabashedly then settled cross legged on the ground beside him. Jack folded his legs and sat across the well from Daniel and passed him a Fifth Avenue candy bar. Laughing Daniel broke it in half and shared it with Vala. Sam sat down on one side of Jack placing a hand on his arm as Teal'c settled in between Jack and Daniel and Mitchell hunkered down across from him.

Jack spoke quietly to Daniel, "I was thinking about the …."

"First time?"

"Yeah."

Daniel reached across the well and Jack responded clasping his arm Jaffa style.

"Dweeb." Jack said with a laugh.

"Jackass." Daniel responded with a wide grin.

"Steven, have seat." Jack patted the ground between him and Teal'c. "Let me introduce you to Stargate Command's premier team, SG-l. You know Dr. Jackson, Colonel Carter, Colonel Mitchell, Vala Mal Doran – former glowing eyed Goa'uld from…somewhere out there, and Teal'c, former First Prime - Jaffa, from Chulak. Used to have an infant Goa'uld symbiote –snake - in a pouch in his belly. We called him Junior. Where the hell is Chulak, T? I know it's a planet with two suns, but for the life of me I can't remember which galaxy it's in."

……

The following morning while the others prepared to leave – via Odyssey - Jack stood beside the Land Cruiser and shook Steven's hand.

"You guys staying?" Steven's gaze was on the group called SG-1.

"Nah. We have something to take care of, well, they have something to take care of I'm going along for the fun of it." Jack shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I'll call your office, Jack. Thanks for agreeing to consider me for the … program. Maybe next week?"

"Oh yeah, I'll be back in Washington by sundown tomorrow. I'll give them a heads up at the office and have them set up an appointment. Thanks again for your help."

"Sure. You guys have fun. Wherever you're going."

"Oh yeah, I finally get to take that vacation I've been looking forward to." Grinning happily, Jack meandered across the sand towards SG-1.

"You brave enough to go with us, Sir?" Mitchell teased as Jack approached. "After the last time we figured you were through with off world adventures."

"Sure, why not, I don't have to be back until the day after tomorrow. There's not a soul on the planet. What could possibly go wrong?" Jack wandered toward his tent whistling a happy tune.


	10. It's Not Me!

**The Curse Chapter Ten: It's Not Me**

Mitchell could hear the words Jack had spoken just yesterday echoing around in his head. _"Sure, why not, I don't have to be back until the day after tomorrow. There's not a soul on the planet. What could possibly go wrong?" _

The spray of bullets kicked up dirt at Mitchell's feet and he took a dive into the nearest bush, immediately realizing it was a thorny berry bush. As he ripped through the thorns and hit the ground hard, his sidearm discharged and took a hunk of flesh from his thigh.

Vala's P-90 jammed, her hand gun would not clear her holster and the Zat she carried fizzled out at the first attempt to blast the ugly creatures. She yelled for help, unfortunately right as a loud shot boomed in front of her. Hitting the ground she rolled behind a boulder and fell through the earth.

Grinning happily, the big automatic weapon steadily oscillating in his firm grip, Jack emptied the G-35 against the remainder of the first wave of their attackers. Thankfully he had time to reload before the second wave cleared the hilltop. He reached for the honking big clip astonished to find that he didn't have a reload. The grin slid off his face like melting ice cream and he looked at the ground, checked every pocked and looked up at the multitude of assailants screaming as they cleared the hill top. He hightailed it for the tree line, and was knocked out cold when he didn't see the low branch.

Sam was trying to dial the Gate as Teal'c stood guard behind her. "SamanthaCarter, is there a problem?"

"I can't get the last symbol to engage, it's as if the address changed in the last four hours." She kept manipulating the DHD. "I think I'm going to have to hookup the laptop to it."

"I do not see the others yet and I cannot raise them on my radio."

Frowning, Sam tried her radio and got nothing. "There's not even static, something's up. You go; I'll keep trying the DHD."

With a quick nod Teal'c took off towards the meadow.

Pulling the front panel from the DHD she picked up the laptop from the ground and began to sort out wires to hook the two together. The first thing she got was a hefty shock that sent her back flat on the ground, then the DHD began to light up symbols all over the dial, the laptop made a sad little whine, and the screen went wavy, and flat-lined.

Teal'c had just reached the end of the forest where the meadow opened when he heard a twig snap behind him, turning, he aimed the P-90 but found only a child of nine or ten years standing there smiling, hands behind his back. Teal'c smiled and lowered the rifle. The child's arm shot forward and before Teal'c could react the stone hit him dead center of the golden tattoo and he toppled like a felled oak. Thump! He was out.

Artifact in hand, Daniel wandered back the way he'd come. Stopping suddenly, he looked ahead down the flame lit passageway disoriented. Turning he looked behind him. What was behind him was what was just a minute ago in front of him. Again, he looked ahead. What was ahead of him was what was just a minute ago behind him. "Now that's odd." He said aloud. Turning sideways he studied the corridor, head moving side to side, his finger pointing one direction, "that should be out," and then the finger pointing in the other direction, "that should be in." He studied the artifact in his hand. "Oookaayy." He placed the object on the ground, held up his hands and spoke to the wall, "I wasn't going to take it, I was just going to study it … outside in the daylight." Nothing happened.

Moving would be a good idea, just in case some huge stone ball started rolling down the passageway towards him. He picked the relic up and assuming back was front he carried it forward and found himself once again in the room where he'd taken it. Placing the stone on the pedestal he stepped back. And back and back until he cleared the room. Coming around he found himself at the mouth of the cave, Vala unconscious on the ground in front of him.

Hurrying to her side he wetted his bandana from his canteen and wiped her face with the cool water. Vala's eyes opened, darting around fearfully until they came to rest on Daniel.

"What happened" They both said at once.

"I don't know." They replied in unison.

Daniel helped her up. "Come on, we need to get out of here. You won't believe what just happened."

"Ha! You have no idea. You know that probe that said there was no life on this planet? Well it missed the count by about a few thousand weird, slimy monster people who were shooting and…." The rumble of stone stopped her and they both took off at a run.

Stopping at a safe distance, they turned to watch the cave crumple in a hailstorm of stone and dust.

"Holy…" Daniel started.

"…weird planet!" Vala finished.

"Right. What were you saying about shooting?"

"We were attacked, we scattered. I fell in a hole and here I am. Does your gun work?"

"Why?"

"Well, because none of mine did, I saw Mitchell throw his P-90 down in disgust. Jack seemed to be doing quite well, thought."

Daniel checked his ammo, gave Vala his sidearm and hand out, indicated for her to show the way.

As they reached the meadow all was quiet. Not a bird or breath of wind, much less gun fire could be heard. Cautiously they approached. Mitchell was on the ground with Sam tending his bleeding leg. Jack scanned the opposite side of the field towards the hillside and Teal'c looked back towards the direction of the Stargate.

With a questioning scowl, Daniel turned to Vala. "I swear Daniel; there were bodies everywhere, slimy monster bodies." She put fingers to her mouth and let out a piercing whistle. Jack and the remainder of SG-1 peered in their direction. Mitchell waved an arm in the air and Daniel and Vala strolled towards them.

"You'll never guess what happened to me." Daniel slammed his hands in his pockets, dropped his head with a disgusted shake and opened his mouth to continue when they all started talking at once.

"YOU! Why I had…

thousands of them, thousands.

and then they were…

The DHD lighting up and ….

The child threw the …

I like ta have knocked my head off…

Thorns were rippin' my skin and the damned gun …

It shocked me, the laptop fizzled….

Knocked unconscious by the velocity of …

Slimy monsters just kept…"

"Wait-wait-wait." Daniel's hands shot out of his pockets and went out like a crossing guard, "One at a time."

Sam pulled Mitchell up and he hopped around wincing in pain. "We came over the rise lookin' for you and about a million mini Godzilla's with guns blastin' appeared, my weapon jammed and I took a nose dive ending up in a tangled hell of thorns and if that wasn't bad enough my sidearm discharged and like to have taken my leg off." Mitchell pointed to said leg.

Everyone nodded in understanding except for Daniel who looked like he'd just swallowed a bug.

"Darling, my P-90 also jammed, I couldn't get my hand gun out of the holster and the Zat did a little pop and plop so I rolled behind a bolder and fell, that's all I remember."

Heads turned to Vala all bobbing in pity with the exception of Daniel who closed his eyes with a groan.

"That honkin' big gun was mowing them down there for a minute but then my ammo ran out. How'd that happen? I had six clips, used one. Explain that to me." Jack slammed his hands on his hips and glared around the group looking for sympathy which he quickly got from all but one.

Teal'c rubbed at his forehead, hesitating. "It is apparent that I was misled by a mere child who threw a stone rendering me unconscious."

"Ya don't say?" Jack gawked at the big guy in amazement.

"Damn! One shot. How the hell he do that, buddy?" Mitchell patted Teal'c on the shoulder.

"Wow." Was all Sam could muster, dumbfounded. "The DHD wouldn't engage the last symbol. I tried to hook up the laptop, but the wires shocked me and the dialing device lit up like the wheel of fortune and the laptop blew out. Strangest thing I ever saw."

Daniel crooked his mouth sideways then opened it to speak and closed it again without a word. The others were commiserating with Sam.

"Something's not right here." Daniel finally offered in explanation.

"Ya don't say, Professor!"

"Jack, I'm serious. When I was in the cave I picked up an artifact and headed out. Then the out became the in and the in the out, then I put it down, nothing happened. Then I went towards the out that was the in and I put it back and turned to head out...in and just like that," he snapped his fingers, "I was out and Vala was there unconscious at the mouth of the cave. I think this planet is cursed."

"Cursed!" Both Mitchell and Jack bellowed in unison.

"Holy Hannah, I'm outta here, I'm going to work on the DHD." Sam took off without another word.

"I will accompany you ColonelCarter." Teal'c hurried after her.

Jack stretched his arm out, finger pointing close to Daniel's face. "It's you, Daniel," he jabbed the finger closer, "It's you, you're cursed! It's the ascended thing, it all started when you went all white light and multi-armed."

"That's it! I'm going back to flyin'." Mitchell walked off trailing Teal'c and Sam.

Daniel's gaze went from Jack's finger to Vala. She gave a nervous little half smile and shrugged. "You didn't…I mean you're sure you didn't… somehow keep the necklace?" Her mouth dropped wide open. She started gesturing with her hands, waving them around, and then holding them stiff and back to waving. Finally she gave up, threw her arms up in defeat and stomped off towards the Stargate.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, I didn't mean it." All he got in response was a flip of her hair. "Vala, come back here. I'll tell you what Madame Dabo offered. You'll like it!" Jack was walking off when he turned around. "It's obviously a protected planet Jack, it's not really a curse, I used the wrong word."

"You?! You used the wrong word? I think not!" Jack's radio crackled, "Yeah?"

"The DHD is fine, I'm dialing, come on." Sam's voice came across a little snippy and Jack stared at the radio a minute before scowling back at Daniel. "Daniel, let's go."

"I am not cursed!" Daniel yelled after him. "It's not me! Jack? Jack!!"

**END**


End file.
